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Battered Pumpwell-Bendoorwell Road portrays Mangaluru in poor light

Potholes and craters dominate the road during monsoon

At a time when Mangaluru is touted to become a Smart City, the first impression that a visitor to the city either from Bengaluru or Kerala will get will be quite the opposite.

Bhagwan Mahaveer (Pumpwell) Circle-Kankanadi-Bendoorwell Road, the gateway to this knowledge and commercial hub, will present the visitor a horrifying picture of the city. One will have to find with great difficulty motorable portions on these stretches as it is completely dotted with craters and potholes.

While Mangaluru City Corporation has concreted almost all major roads in the city, this stretch of the road has been left with bitumen surface.

Consequently, the road gets battered during every rainy season with the corporation doing patchwork after the monsoon.

Residents and traders of Bendurwell had held a demonstration recently decrying the corporation’s apathy towards the road condition and demanding immediate restoration of the stretch.

Advocate S.P. Chengappa, who was one among the protesters, said life had become miserable to the people in the surrounding areas even as daily commuters have been having a horrifying time. The road condition also paints the city in a bad colour, he felt.

Water pipelines

J.R. Lobo, MLA for Mangaluru South, told The Hindu that the stretch of the road cannot be concreted because of the presence of huge water pipes that bring water from the Netravathi to the city. In the event of damage to the pipeline, it will be very difficult to remove the concrete top and undertake repair works, he said.

As such, the civic body has decided to continue with bitumen topping of the road. The administration is well aware of the consequences of retaining the bitumen surface, but there is no other way. During heavy rains or damage to the pipeline beneath, it is but natural for the road to get damaged.

Though the corporation has plans to restore the stretch of the road, the same could not be executed because of continuous rains. Filled potholes will give way if it rains again, he said.

Partial solution

The Mangaluru City Corporation has planned to concrete one of the two carriageways, both have been riddled with potholes and craters, between Bhagwan Mahaveer (Pumpwell) Circle and Kankanadi-Bendoorwell Circle.

J.R. Lobo, MLA for Mangaluru South, told The Hindu that the carriageway towards the city joining Falnir Road does not have water pipelines beneath and hence it will be concreted with funds he is getting from the government.

The other carriageway taking vehicles out of the city and joining Padil Road will have to be retained as a bitumen road itself because of the presence of water pipelines, he said.