‘Road Pothole Attention’: Bengaluru gets a new app for reporting potholes

He was replying to a question by Jayanagar MLA CK Ramamurthy on the initiatives undertaken under the Brand Bengaluru project during the ongoing assembly session. In his response, Shivakumar stated that from April 1 to June 30, 16,202 road potholes in BBMP limits were identified out of which 15,686 (96 per cent) potholes have been fixed and 516 of them are yet to be repaired.

Bengaluru boasts a road network of about 12,878 km, with 1,344.84 km comprising arterial and sub-arterial roads and 11,533.16 km consisting of zonal roads. These roads often suffer damages due to the installation of various utilities, including BESCOM cables, water supply and drainage pipes, GAIL gas lines, KPTCL high-capacity cables, and OFC cables, leading to frequent pothole formations.

The new application employs GPS technology to map all roads under the jurisdiction of the civic body. It accurately identifies potholes by their latitude and longitude, records their dimensions, and generates specific orders for their repair. This system is designed to make the entire process of pothole identification and repair transparent, allowing for effective monitoring of repair costs by the concerned authorities.

For the fiscal year 2024-25, the corporation has allocated Rs 15 lakh per ward, amounting to a total of Rs 33.75 crore for 225 wards.

The ‘Road Pothole Attention’ app is not only accessible to the BBMP officials and Bangalore Traffic Police Department officials but also to the general public. BBMP officials said that this inclusive approach ensures that anyone can report potholes, enhancing the efficiency of the repair process.

How to use the app

Users can download the ‘Raste Gundi Gamana’ or ‘Road Pothole Attention’ application on their mobile devices. The app is available in Kannada and English, allowing users to select their preferred language. Users can then enter their mobile number and receive a One-Time Password (OTP) via SMS to register.

The app automatically displays the user’s current location and users can then describe the issue and submit a complaint to receive a docket number. The information is then sent to the relevant authorities, who are required to address the complaint within a stipulated time frame. Users can also monitor the status of their complaints through the app. The application, available for Android devices, requires a one-time login and can be downloaded from the Google Play Store.