Former CM’s Ex-Secretary Flags Unsafe Road Patchworks in Bengaluru

September 30:

Bengaluru’s bumpy patchwork repairs have drawn criticism not only from daily commuters but also from a top former bureaucrat.

L.K. Atheeq, retired IAS officer and former additional chief secretary (ACS) to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, called the ongoing pothole fixes unsafe for motorists.

“Took out my bike late in the night & rode to MG Rd & Brigade Rd. Patchwork has made the roads undulating and unsafe. Minor fixes / use of proper equipment can make them smooth & safe for rides/drives,” Atheeq wrote in a post on X.

He urged the Chief Commissioner of the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) to chalk out a quick action plan to improve the quality of repair work.

Along with his remarks, Atheeq shared a photograph from Brigade Road—one of the city’s busiest high streets. However, what caught the attention of many was not just the bumpy surface but two garbage bags dumped on the footpath.

Netizens were quick to react. “Even someone like you couldn’t avoid garbage bags in the frame. Thank you, Sir, for not hiding the truth,” one user commented.

Atheeq replied that while civic agencies must step up, citizens too need to take responsibility for not littering.

Other users pointed out that poor stretches extend beyond central Bengaluru, citing roads from BEL Circle to Gangamma Circle, Jakkur Signal to Airport Road, Parappana Agrahara, Varthur, Bannerghatta Road, and even parts of MG Road itself.

Currently, Atheeq is the chairperson of the Bengaluru Business Corridor, a 74-km peripheral ring road, which is seeing a lot of progress with respect to land acquisition after he took charge.