A 43-year-old man from Bengaluru has served a legal notice to the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and demanded Rs 50 Lakh as compensation for the "physical agony and emotional trauma" he suffered due to the city’s broken and non-motorable road. 

In his notice, Dhivya Kiran, a resident of Richmond Town, stated that despite being a tax-paying citizen, he has repeatedly endured physical hardship and mental distress due to the civic body's alleged failure to maintain essential infrastructure.

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He claimed to have made five visits to orthopedic specialists and four emergency hospital visits due to severe neck and back pain, which he said were "medically linked to the jerks and trauma caused while commuting on these treacherous roads". The BBMP has not issued an immediate response to the legal notice.

Broken and waterlogged roads during the rainy season have long been a nightmare for residents across the city. Following unusually heavy overnight rainfall on Sunday, Bengaluru came to a standstill on Monday, with people seen wading through flooded streets and evacuating their homes using inflatable boats.

"My client states that he was forced to visit 5 orthopedic specialists due to the intensifying pain. He made 4 emergency visits to St. Philomena's Hospital, undergoing injections and procedures to relieve acute agony. Further, have been on multiple medications and painkillers to manage the condition," Advocate K V Laveen, who served the notice on behalf of Mr Kiran on May 14, said.

"He has also experienced episodes of crying out in pain, loss of sleep, anxiety, and mental distress, all of which have deeply affected his well-being and daily functioning,"  he added.  

Kiran also stated that he is unable to travel by auto-rickshaw or two-wheeler, as the uneven and damaged roads have significantly aggravated his spinal and neck condition. "Even cab rides are difficult, though marginally more tolerable than autos or bikes. This severely limits his mobility and independence, affecting both his personal and professional commitments," his lawyer said. 

It is due to BBMP's "gross negligence and failure in discharging its public duty" that the man is facing "physical agony, emotional trauma, and financial burden", the notice said.

The notice further stated that Kiran is seeking Rs 50 lakh in compensation for the emotional and physical distress he has suffered, along with expenses incurred for medical consultations and travel, to be paid within 15 days. It also mentioned that failure to comply would result in legal action. Additionally, Kiran has demanded Rs 10,000 to cover the cost of issuing the legal notice to the BBMP.

"Bengaluru roads are a mess. Even the smallest pothole can cause so much distress,"  Kiran said to the media. 

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He mentioned that he had raised these issues with the authorities in the past, but his complaints were ignored. "It is very sad that the city does not care for good infrastructure. That is why I have sent a notice to the authorities. If need be, I will file a PIL (Public Interest Litigation). Why should I suffer? The least the state can do is provide us with good roads," he said.