‘Worse than Somalia’: Commuters slam Hennur–Bagalur Road chaos, flag months-long disruption

Bengaluru, March 22:

A social media post by a city commuter has reignited concerns over the condition of arterial roads in north Bengaluru, with the user describing the Hennur–Bagalur Main Road stretch as “unfit for driving” and sharply contrasting it with the relatively better Thanisandra Main Road.

The post, shared on Reddit, recounts a recent trip towards Bhartiya City, where the user said the journey turned into a “big mistake” due to severely deteriorated road conditions.

The commuter alleged that the stretch resembled “extremely poor driving conditions”, using a controversial comparison to underscore the severity of the situation.

The user also expressed frustration over civic accountability, pointing to the mismatch between the taxes paid by citizens and the quality of infrastructure delivered.

“It is shocking to see such conditions in 2026,” the post said, adding that concerns over governance, corruption, and contractor quality continue to dominate public discourse.

Adding to the criticism, another user highlighted alleged mismanagement of ongoing roadworks, claiming that multiple access points had been simultaneously blocked. “They closed one lane, shut another exit, and blocked a third common exit while work near the Agra signal is still ongoing,” the comment said, alleging poor planning in traffic management.

The same user said the issue has persisted for nearly two months, significantly increasing commute times. “It used to take me 20 minutes to reach Kalyan Nagar; now it takes 50 minutes to an hour,” the user wrote, expressing frustration over daily disruptions.

The post has since drawn reactions from other users, many echoing similar grievances about potholes, poor maintenance, and inconsistent roadwork across the city—particularly in rapidly developing northern corridors such as Hennur, Bagalur, and Thanisandra, where real estate growth has outpaced infrastructure upgrades.