Even road before PM Modi’s residence pothole-ridden, claims Shivakumar

Karnataka deputy chief minister D.K. Shivakumar, who also holds the Bengaluru development portfolio, on Tuesday claimed that even the road in front of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence in Delhi is riddled with potholes.

Speaking to reporters about the state of Bengaluru’s roads, Shivakumar said: “We are filling all potholes. It is raining, and nearly a thousand potholes are being filled every day in the city. I had gone to Delhi and travelled around the city. The media should see that roads there, including the one in front of the prime minister’s residence, are also full of potholes.”

Shivakumar questioned why potholes appeared if roads built during the BJP’s tenure had been of good quality: “This is not confined to Karnataka. If good-quality roads had been built back then, why would potholes appear now? They failed to do it, and now it seems elections are approaching.”

He further addressed criticism over IT companies leaving Bengaluru due to poor infrastructure, stating:

“No one can threaten or blackmail the government. I will not stop anyone from leaving.”

The deputy CM also announced his travel plans, saying he will leave for Bihar to attend the extended Congress Working Committee meeting with chief minister Siddaramaiah, AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, and Rahul Gandhi, and return on the same flight.

BJP protests and criticism

The BJP has announced a one-hour roadblock across all Assembly constituencies in Karnataka, including Bengaluru, on 24 September, protesting the state’s poor road infrastructure.

Union minister for heavy industries and steel H.D. Kumaraswamy also criticised the state government, highlighting Bengaluru’s declining reputation: “The proud city of Bengaluru, built by Nadaprabhu Kempegowda, has suffered a severe blow. Industries are losing faith in Karnataka and migrating to neighbouring states, which are offering concessions to attract them. This shameless government cannot even understand the gravity of the situation.”

He appealed to industries to stay, saying, “To the industries, my only appeal is this: do not leave Bengaluru. This city carries a great legacy and rich heritage. Together, we will rebuild Bengaluru and teach this thick-skinned government a lesson.”

The debate comes amid growing public scrutiny over the city’s road conditions, with both opposition parties and citizens calling for urgent action to improve infrastructure.

With IANS inputs