• By Soumyaroop Mukherjee
  • Sun, 28 Sep 2025 03:49 PM (IST)
  • Source:JND
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Bengaluru Pothole Woes: Fed up with the decaying roads and infrastructure in Bengaluru, a group of people from the Bharathinagar Residents’ Forum organised a ‘Pooja’ on Saturday, September 27, and sought blessings from God to prevent any more fatalities because of poor roads. The ceremonial gesture was a jibe at the municipal authorities, as the situation remains in doldrums in the city. 

While there have been many symbolic gestures of protest towards the battered roads, the residents chose to treat the pothole as a deity (called it ‘Pothole Deity’) and offered prayers to it. The incident took place on Webster Road, where 20-25 people had decorated the pothole with chrysanthemums and rose petals. 

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The pooja was carried out with full honours, with the group hiring a priest and also chanting ceremonial mantras. 

Surendra Ravi, president of the residents’ forum, said, as quoted by the Hindu, “There are nearly 100 potholes in Cox Town alone, and the repairs carried out so far have been substandard.”

“The potholes reappear within just days of filling, highlighting the poor quality of the civic body’s work. This patchwork approach clearly isn’t working,” he added.

Ravi also highlighted the negligence of the civic bodies, which were sensitised only because of media pressure and public scrutiny. “It is unfortunate that the administration acts only when there is an outcry and not on its own initiative,” he said.

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He also pointed out that many people in the area have been injured due to these pothole-ridden roads. In light of the inaction, residents have taken matters into their own hands by launching a pothole-filling initiative, vowing to carry it forward if the civic bodies do not step up.

“We performed a ‘Homa Pooja’ to the ‘Pothole Gods’ in desperation, believing it might protect us from injury or death. Beyond that, we will continue to fill potholes ourselves as much as we can,” he added.