4 months after inauguration, road caves in B’luru, oppn slams state govt

A portion of the service road in Bengaluru’s Kundalahalli underpass caved in within four months of its inauguration, on Sunday, triggering allegations of corruption against the Bharatiya Janata Party-led state government.

The service road was built as part of a ₹19.5-crore underpass project and a huge pothole emerged in the middle of the key stretch after a water pipeline reportedly burst under the road. In June this year, after missing several deadlines, the underpass at Kundalahalli Junction was opened to traffic. The grade separator is part of the signal-free corridor project proposed on the Old Airport Road.

Informing about the incident, the Mahadevapura Task Force, tweeted on Sunday: “BWSSB Cauvery Water Pipeline burst at Kundalahalli Junction: Impact to Cauvery Water Supply and Traffic Movement. 450 mm Cauvery Water Main Pipeline had burst early in the morning today at the Kundalahalli Gate Junction. (sic)”

Later in the day, the task force tweeted that the pipeline repair work has been completed. “The 450mm main pipeline has been repaired in the shortest possible time by a well-coordinated effort from BBMP projects team, BWSSB and BTP (Bangalore Traffic Police) HAL & Whitefield.” they tweeted.

However, as the huge sinkhole was still there on the road on Monday morning, the traffic police warned commuters of the slow movement of traffic on the road. BBMP officials said that sinkholes “usually appear after rain or leakage in water or sewage below the road”. “Water leakage from a BWSSB (Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board) pipeline that had loosened the soil caused the sinkhole on Sunday,” officials said on Monday.

Bengaluru Traffic Police officials said that the incident happened just before the Kundalahalli underpass and no damage has been caused to the underpass. An official from HAL Traffic Police Station said: “Our officer in charge in that sector and our staff along with civic agencies fixed the problem... and now vehicle movement is normal.”

Following the incident, Congress leader Priyank Kharge shared the video of caved road and tweeted: “Commission Rate Card: Religious heads - 30%. State Contractors - 40%. BBMP - 50%. 40 Percent Sarkara has ensured a systemic decay in Governance that has led to the collapse of our progressive state. (Sic)” This was in reference to the allegations of commission being sought for any work linked to the government.

Despite repeated requests, a BJP spokesperson refused to comment on the matter.