A road she took every day: Medha’s death puts Bengaluru’s damaged roads under scrutiny

Guru’s brother said the two had been using the Ananth Nagar stretch regularly because several other roads in the area were in poor condition.

“Other roads were badly damaged, and after the rains, the potholes became worse. There was heavy traffic on this road because people had very few alternatives. That is the road they took, and that is where the accident happened,” he said.

He said the crash had also left Guru traumatised. “He saw Medha covered in blood and, at that moment, did not know that she would die. He is still struggling to come to terms with the fact that she is gone,” Guru’s brother added.

Residents say damaged roads leave few options

Residents said the problem is not confined to the spot where the accident occurred. Several roads around Ananth Nagar have been affected by underground drainage and Cauvery water pipeline works, with potholes, loose gravel, mud and uneven surfaces making commuting difficult, particularly for two-wheeler riders.

They said the damaged roads connect residents to the Metro, Heelalige railway station, schools, hospitals and workplaces, leaving Ananth Nagar Road as one of the more usable routes despite parts of it also being dug up.

“The roads connecting the area are either dug up or in a very bad condition. Ananth Nagar Road was one of the roads we could still use to reach the Metro. Now that road has also been dug up. If it rains, the situation will become horrible,” said a resident who did not wish to be named.

Residents also pointed to the Singena Agrahara-Fruit Market Road, which connects the area to Hosur Main Road and the Metro, saying it is in particularly poor condition. They said they had protested earlier seeking repairs.

Kripa Varghese, a resident and dentist who runs a clinic near the affected stretch, said residents had repeatedly approached authorities and held a protest around six months ago, but the condition of the roads had not improved.

Several Bengaluru roads have been damaged owing to pipeline and drainage works. (Photo Credit: Special Arrangement)

“The rains have made the situation much worse. The roads are now full of large craters. Ananth Nagar Road was one of the few relatively accessible routes, but even that has been affected after being dug up for pipeline work,” she said.

She added that heavy vehicles, including water tankers and trucks, were further damaging the roads. “There is practically no road left in some stretches – it is like walking on the moon. Residents have complained repeatedly and even protested months ago, but despite assurances that repairs would be done before the rains, the situation has only worsened.”

Residents held a candlelight march following Medha Akarsh’s death and later staged a larger protest attended by more than 1,000 people, demanding action on the roads.

Civic body says works will be completed soon

Municipal Commissioner Rajendra B L said he met the protesting residents on Thursday and discussed their concerns.

He added that the ongoing road works were linked to the Cauvery water pipeline project and that officials were assessing the stretches where pipeline-related work was required.

“We are looking into the issues raised by the residents. The ongoing work will be completed soon. At present, no other major work will be taken up in the area. Since it is raining, commuters are facing difficulties, and we will ensure that the affected stretches are attended to,” Rajendra further said.

He said footpaths and other portions affected by the works would also be repaired. On the accident, he said the road was narrow and carried traffic in both directions, and that authorities were examining the road and the ongoing pipeline works.

Bengaluru’s wider road problem

Medha Akarsh’s death has also renewed scrutiny of Bengaluru’s persistent pothole and road-maintenance problem.

The Greater Bengaluru Authority told the Karnataka High Court on Friday that around 2,600 potholes across the city’s five corporations were yet to be repaired. Authorities said 10,202 potholes had been identified since April, with the majority attended to.

Earlier official data from 2026 showed that 41,150 potholes had been identified, of which 39,887 were repaired, leaving 1,263 unattended.

NCRB’s Crime in India 2024 data showed Bengaluru recorded 17 deaths attributed to negligence of civic bodies, the highest among Indian metropolitan cities for the sixth consecutive year. The city had recorded 20 such deaths in 2023, 22 in 2022, 31 in 2021, 18 in 2020 and 49 in 2019.

In 2021, Bengaluru recorded 3,213 road accidents, resulting in 654 deaths and 2,820 injuries, according to NCRB data. Karnataka recorded 32 cases and 33 deaths under the category of deaths caused by negligence of civic bodies, with Bengaluru accounting for 30 cases and 31 deaths.