Damaged and Missing Gratings on Lok Bhavan Road Threaten Commuters

Commuters navigating Lok Bhavan Road, formerly known as Raj Bhavan Road, are facing hazardous travel conditions due to broken, uneven, and missing drain gratings along the busy stretch. Motorists and two-wheeler riders have raised concerns over the severe safety risk, especially after dark when poor visibility increases the likelihood of accidents.

Two major gratings on the road require immediate replacement to prevent mishaps. Traffic and infrastructure expert Prof. MN Srihari pointed out that substandard construction and inadequate planning contributed significantly to the deterioration of the road fixtures. According to him, a lack of knowledge among those assigned to construct drains to prevent rainwater stagnation, combined with heavy vehicle movement, has caused the gratings to break and deteriorate rapidly.

Regular commuters along the prominent route have demanded urgent intervention from civic authorities. Prabhakar S, a two-wheeler rider, urged Bengaluru Central City Corporation (BCCC) engineers to prioritise repairing the uneven gratings and replacing the broken ones before any serious accidents occur.

Autorickshaw driver Subhash Chandra stated that uneven gratings pose an even greater danger than missing ones for thousands of daily commuters. Motorists noted that inadequate street lighting along the stretch worsens the hazard at night, leaving riders with little time to react when encountering uneven or open patches.

Another commuter, Purushotham P, called on civic leadership, including the BCCC Commissioner or GBA Chief Commissioner, to penalise contractors and hold engineers accountable for using substandard materials during installation and road asphalting.

In response to the complaints, the BCCC Executive Engineer for Shivaji Nagar assured commuters that action would be taken. The official stated that subordinates would be deputed to the site shortly to inspect the location and resolve the issues without delay.