Bengaluru: Deputy Chief Minister and Bengaluru Development Minister DK Shivakumar on Wednesday issued a stern ultimatum to contractors, directing that all potholes in the city must be filled by November 2025.
The move comes after BlackBuck CEO Rajesh Yabaji publicly expressed frustration over crumbling roads and traffic delays, announcing that the logistics unicorn was considering shifting operations out of Bengaluru. His remarks triggered strong reactions from industry leaders, including Mohandas Pai and Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, who tagged the Deputy CM on social media demanding urgent civic action.
“Our goal is a clean and smooth Bengaluru. By November, contractors must ensure all potholes are closed. The city deserves pothole-free roads and seamless traffic, and we will hold contractors accountable if they fail to deliver,” Shivakumar said.
According to the data, ₹694 crore has been allocated for roadworks covering 349 km across 182 roads. Officials have been instructed to speed up works and ensure quality checks, with clear warnings against bogus bills and delays.
With Bengaluru’s Outer Ring Road corridor housing global IT companies and lakhs of employees, industry leaders have warned that poor civic infrastructure could drive away investment. Shivakumar reiterated that the government is committed to making Bengaluru’s roads safe and commuter-friendly at the earliest.
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