Church Street’s potholes expose UnboxingBLR’s poor maintenance, broken promises

After reading blrpost.com’s report, GBA Commissioner Maheshwar Rao said “I have seen it myself and will get it repaired.”

Bengaluru

“Since November 2024, UnboxingBLR has been leading the transformation of Church Street under BBMP’s “Namma Bengaluru, Namma Koduge” programme. We’ve been working with stakeholders to reimagine one of the city’s most iconic streets with a focus on infrastructure, cleanliness, greenery, and above all, community participation,” reads the website of UnboxingBLR Foundation.

As of December 2025—at a time when Bengaluru is decking up to celebrate New Year 2026—let alone visible transformation, Church Street’s condition has worsened. The street is riddled with potholes, posing a risk to pedestrians and motorists. The foundation appears to have forgotten about the grand promise it made to the then Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), currently the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA).

Timeline

The redevelopment and subsequent maintenance of this street reflect both the ambitions and challenges of urban renewal in the city. Work on the roughly 1-km stretch began in February 2017, with the project envisioned as a pedestrian-friendly, culturally rooted streetscape. Although the original completion deadline was July 2017, repeated delays—largely due to the discovery of old utility lines during excavation—pushed the inauguration to March 1, 2018.

A defining feature of the project was the use of more than five lakh hand-laid granite cobblestones, arranged in a traditional “Kasuti” embroidery pattern to showcase Karnataka’s cultural heritage and give the street a distinctive identity.

The project also became notable for its cost escalation. Initially estimated at ₹9 crore, the final expenditure rose to around ₹14 crore, with some reports placing the overall cost between ₹11 crore and ₹17 crore depending on subsequent repair- and maintenance-related additions. These overruns attracted attention and criticism, highlighting systemic issues such as coordination failures and unforeseen underground infrastructure constraints.

Following the 2018 redevelopment, then BBMP remained responsible for maintaining Church Street. However, inconsistent upkeep and difficulties in outsourcing maintenance led to visible deterioration over time. To address this, a public–private partnership model was adopted.

In November 2024, the city-based UnboxingBLR Foundation signed a two-year memorandum of understanding with the BBMP under the ‘Namma Bengaluru, Namma Koduge’ programme. The foundation took over day-to-day maintenance of the one-kilometre stretch, including upkeep of greenery, repairs to footpaths and drainage slabs, replacement of faulty street lights, and ensuring cleanliness.

The foundation did introduce a few facilities, but largely the street remains poorly maintained.

Potholes yet again, thanks to poor maintenance

Laxman S (name changed), a resident of the street, talking to blrpost.com said walking on this street, especially during revelry, is inviting danger. The entire stretch is filled with potholes. Just between Ghar Apartments and Amoeba (bowling alley), there are more than 20 potholes. Residents are facing difficulties moving around on the street, and even pavers are in poor shape.

He further said, “The New Year celebration is approaching fast, and I wonder why authorities have not taken measures to fix the problem.” The cobblestones are dislodged, creating large craters on the road. Bikers have to negotiate the potholes that dot the road. This street is right at the heart of the Central Business District (CBD), yet yearning for attention.

Another resident said earlier the civic body would respond to complaints and replace the cobblestones. Now it appears the street is parentless. UnboxingBLR thinks that it is not answerable to the government and can do whatever it pleases.

Both residents urged the GBA to intervene, take the BLR Foundation to task, and relay cobblestones in areas where they have broken lose.