If they can't, we can. Filling potholes in Bangalore.

creative420 · 29th September 2011, 12:45

Back in July I read this article about one rickshaw-wallah who fills potholes in Mumbai.

An autowallah who fills potholes at top speed, News - City - Mumbai Mirror

About a week I was returning (on my activa) back from office at about 8 o' clock.Now, there's this H-U-G-E pothole in Indiranagar, near 17th main garden, which is almost 8 inches deep. I could not slow down before I hit the pothole and ended up aggravating my pack and knee pain (had a major fall back in May).

I was boiling with anger. I actually wanted to do some serious damage,

but my friends asked me to cool down.

I've tried mailing the BBMP officials, but the mails bounced back. Call their office and they say they'll look into it. BBMP Comminsioner Saddiah said he'll fill some 9000 potholes in the month of Sept., but that hasn't happened either. (Source: Pothole promises: BBMP fails to meet deadlines - southindia - Bangalore - ibnlive)

In UK or US you can sue your city council, but in India we can't. So I retraced this above mentioned article and though wait a mintue, why can't we BHPians do that too?

I mean we all can take out 3-4 hours during the weekend and fill any major potholes within 1-2 kms radius from where we live. Or maybe we can do a big drive. Pool in money, hire a truck, get come concrete or sand or cement and fill it ourselves, during night time. If this old man can do that, why can't we?

Is it possible? Any BHPians from Bangalore think the same? Any legal actions we can face for doing this? Let's start discussing about it.

Durango Dude · 29th September 2011, 12:55

I paid the guys who dig the road for cables Rs.100 so he doesn't dig through the ramp of my newly built residence complex in Chennai. I think if we are able to keep these guys off our ramps I think it will be great, one good thing that happened was they laid concrete slabs for pavement and pushed all the cables beneath so no "Digger Dan" is going to come and dig my side of the road. I think doing a 'Anna Hazare' isn't any good for your health. God and Corruption, in India, are 'omnipotent'.

creative420 · 29th September 2011, 13:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by Durango Dude

I paid the guys who dig the road for cables Rs.100 so he doesn't dig through the ramp of my newly built residence complex in Chennai. I think if we are able to keep these guys off our ramps I think it will be great, one good thing that happened was they laid concrete slabs for pavement and pushed all the cables beneath so no "Digger Dan" is going to come and dig my side of the road. I think doing a 'Anna Hazare' isn't any good for your health. God and Corruption, in India, are 'omnipotent'.

If something like this was happening around my house, I would have made sure it's done properly too. I have seen people falling because of these damn potholes. I can't even begin to digest the fact that because of these potholes, someone might lose someone close to them someday. Or might see someone ending up in a hospital. I assume, it might have happened already.

And I'm not going to do this Hazaregiri alone. I'm hoping the BHPians will come forward and do something about it. If the government can't set a benchmark, maybe its citizens can. Just like that rickshaw-wallah did. If one can't do it all alone, maybe a dozen of people can.

Can't lose faith. Sorry.

Even if I don't get any support, I'll at least fill that one pothole up.

supremeBaleno · 29th September 2011, 13:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by creative420

I mean we all can take out 3-4 hours during the weekend and fill any major potholes within 1-2 kms radius from where we live. Or maybe we can do a big drive. Pool in money, hire a truck, get come concrete or sand or cement and fill it ourselves, during night time. If this old man can do that, why can't we?

Given the way things work here, this seems to be the only alternative. I remember reading about a group (Ugly Indian???) in Blore who clean up the filth in certain areas of the city, to make the city cleaner.

Regarding filling up potholes, I once attempted to fill up the pothole outside our home in Kerala with blue-metal and clayish soil, but with one rain the soil was gone and the vehicles dispersed the blue-metal all around. So what could work is either of the 2 options :

1) Fill the potholes with bitumen/tar - but this needs equipment and is tough to execute.
2) Filling up with concrete is easier - but it needs time to set. And not sure how we can avoid vehicles going over them before it sets.

creative420 · 29th September 2011, 13:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by supremeBaleno

Given the way things work here, this seems to be the only alternative. I remember reading about a group (Ugly Indian???) in Blore who clean up the filth in certain areas of the city, to make the city cleaner.

Regarding filling up potholes, I once attempted to fill up the pothole outside our home in Kerala with blue-metal and clayish soil, but with one rain the soil was gone and the vehicles dispersed the blue-metal all around. So what could work is either of the 2 options :

1) Fill the potholes with bitumen/tar - but this needs equipment and is tough to execute.
2) Filling up with concrete is easier - but it needs time to set. And not sure how we can avoid vehicles going over them before it sets.

Thanks! Just spoke to my brother who actually is into road construction. He gave me a few pointers. Concrete won't bind with tar road and takes longer to set. Best (and the cheapest) way out is malma (brick powder) with black soil. Soil binds the mix together and regular watering, along with adequate sunlight sets it like a rock.

sajo · 29th September 2011, 13:24

Pune Residents did that a while ago. Not that it goaded PMC into action.

link.

anonymous · 29th September 2011, 13:28

I remember reading this news that someone sued PWD or MCD when his car got damaged due to potholes and consumer court directed the body to pay full payment of the damage. In their verdict, they clearly told that people are paying various taxes to these bodies so they are like customers and these bodies providing services, so they are liable to provide good service and if they fail to do it, they should be fined.

honeybee · 29th September 2011, 14:00

It's not correct to say you cannot sue the municipal authorities for the bad roads. Only we don't, not that we can't.

ghodlur · 29th September 2011, 14:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by honeybee

It's not correct to say you cannot sue the municipal authorities for the bad roads. Only we don't, not that we can't.

We dont because the entire process is so time consuming that a couple of monsoons might have passed by till the verdict is announced. Till recently the road leading to the complex where I stay in Thane was riddles with pot holes. All I did was click a few snaps (with young child, senior citizens, ladies etc) and send them regularly to the Municipal commissioner's e-mail id. I used to do this once every week. I guess the officials monitoring the mail id must have got frustrated with my mails, they fixed the entire road. The whole episode took 8 months. Patience sometimes helps, not always.

libranof1987 · 29th September 2011, 15:03

So we pay road tax, we pay corporation tax, we pay property tax; but in the end, it is us ourselves who'll have to fill potholes - out of seer desperation due to the civic bodys' inaction. What a world we live in!

I'm sure nobody's daddy will have the guts to take legal action against citizens for filling potholes.

If someone plans something like this, I'll definitely turn up. And I'd like to give BBMP a piece of my mind. I think the word "Commissioner" has got a completely diff. meaning in B'lore : one just barks and the other goes about banning parties and letting corruption become blatantly rampant.

Quote:

Originally Posted by creative420

Best (and the cheapest) way out is malma (brick powder) with black soil. Soil binds the mix together and regular watering, along with adequate sunlight sets it like a rock.

The problem is - one bout of rainfall and it'll all become a bigger mess.

Jedi.Knight · 29th September 2011, 15:30

Something on the lines of "The Ugly Indian".
The Ugly Indian
They have done some amazing projects in Bangalore. One can check out their videos on YouTube.

creative420 · 29th September 2011, 16:26

Quote:

Pune Residents did that a while ago. Not that it goaded PMC into action.

Thanks for sharing the link sajo. Inspirational!

Quote:

I remember reading this news that someone sued PWD or MCD when his car got damaged due to potholes and consumer court directed the body to pay full payment of the damage. In their verdict, they clearly told that people are paying various taxes to these bodies so they are like customers and these bodies providing services, so they are liable to provide good service and if they fail to do it, they should be fined.

Good for that guy. My back is better now, so I'd rather use it to fill the pots than to fight with babus.

Quote:

It's not correct to say you cannot sue the municipal authorities for the bad roads. Only we don't, not that we can't.

ghodlur has made my point.

Quote:

The whole episode took 8 months. Patience sometimes helps, not always.

Bravo! I'm new in the area where I'm staying. Slowly getting to know the people around. But super thing you did there man!

Quote:

If someone plans something like this, I'll definitely turn up. And I'd like to give BBMP a piece of my mind.

Once we have enough people, we'll march forward!

Quote:

The problem is - one bout of rainfall and it'll all become a bigger mess.

Whenever I do this, I'll check the weather forecast. It hasn't been raining for some time now.

Quote:

They have done some amazing projects in Bangalore. One can check out their videos on YouTube.

Yup! They're absolutely

kirantp · 30th September 2011, 11:42

Bangalore tops the list of pothole cities in India. Not only that, whenever the government tar the road, next day either the watermen or the telecom people dig up the newly tarred roads for their work. I wonder what they will be doing all the while before the road is tarred and what makes them dig it up later.

Fed up of their attitude and blame game and guess there is no end to it anytime soon.

lohithrao · 30th September 2011, 15:33

I think the way things are managed its nothing but chaos! road maintenance is part of it!

last week corporation started to dig the road to lay pipes, the speed they are working even a snail will be faster. this thing started to creat huge jams a road which was 20feet was made in to 5feet, absolutly no planning and hapazard way of working...

they lay 2pipes in 3days and vanished, now the road is mesy and area is dusty and to top they cut some bsnl lines so these bsnl guys land up dig again and added to the mess, when asked them to cover up the dug up area properly they told its not thier business...

added to this they put all the mud to the drain while digging and left..

sometimes i pitty myself to be born as a "common man"

Oxy · 12th October 2011, 18:51

creative420 - This is a good thought and a noble initiative. Please count me in, hopefully we'd have sufficient people to achieve this.

Many would think it's not their job since they pay their taxes. But this is about making our city a better place to live. If the BBMP is busy dozing off, someone has to do their job.

Reminds me of the movie "A Wednesday" where a common man sets off to respond to terrorism in his own way.

29th September 2011, 12:45	#1
creative420 BHPian Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Bangalore Posts: 580 Thanked: 743 Times	If they can't, we can. Filling potholes in Bangalore. Back in July I read this article about one rickshaw-wallah who fills potholes in Mumbai. An autowallah who fills potholes at top speed, News - City - Mumbai Mirror About a week I was returning (on my activa) back from office at about 8 o' clock.Now, there's this H-U-G-E pothole in Indiranagar, near 17th main garden, which is almost 8 inches deep. I could not slow down before I hit the pothole and ended up aggravating my pack and knee pain (had a major fall back in May). I was boiling with anger. I actually wanted to do some serious damage, but my friends asked me to cool down. I've tried mailing the BBMP officials, but the mails bounced back. Call their office and they say they'll look into it. BBMP Comminsioner Saddiah said he'll fill some 9000 potholes in the month of Sept., but that hasn't happened either. (Source: Pothole promises: BBMP fails to meet deadlines - southindia - Bangalore - ibnlive) In UK or US you can sue your city council, but in India we can't. So I retraced this above mentioned article and though wait a mintue, why can't we BHPians do that too? I mean we all can take out 3-4 hours during the weekend and fill any major potholes within 1-2 kms radius from where we live. Or maybe we can do a big drive. Pool in money, hire a truck, get come concrete or sand or cement and fill it ourselves, during night time. If this old man can do that, why can't we? Is it possible? Any BHPians from Bangalore think the same? Any legal actions we can face for doing this? Let's start discussing about it.
	(1) Thanks

29th September 2011, 12:55	#2
Durango Dude Senior - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Chennai Posts: 1,967 Thanked: 5,210 Times View My Garage	Re: If they can't, we can. Filling potholes in Bangalore. I paid the guys who dig the road for cables Rs.100 so he doesn't dig through the ramp of my newly built residence complex in Chennai. I think if we are able to keep these guys off our ramps I think it will be great, one good thing that happened was they laid concrete slabs for pavement and pushed all the cables beneath so no "Digger Dan" is going to come and dig my side of the road. I think doing a 'Anna Hazare' isn't any good for your health. God and Corruption, in India, are 'omnipotent'.
	() Thanks

29th September 2011, 13:24	#6
sajo Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Pune Posts: 2,625 Thanked: 1,157 Times	Re: If they can't, we can. Filling potholes in Bangalore. Pune Residents did that a while ago. Not that it goaded PMC into action. link.
	() Thanks

29th September 2011, 13:28	#7
anonymous BHPian Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: NCR Posts: 564 Thanked: 26 Times	Re: If they can't, we can. Filling potholes in Bangalore. I remember reading this news that someone sued PWD or MCD when his car got damaged due to potholes and consumer court directed the body to pay full payment of the damage. In their verdict, they clearly told that people are paying various taxes to these bodies so they are like customers and these bodies providing services, so they are liable to provide good service and if they fail to do it, they should be fined.
	() Thanks

29th September 2011, 14:00	#8
honeybee Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Dombivli Posts: 3,055 Thanked: 2,143 Times View My Garage	Re: If they can't, we can. Filling potholes in Bangalore. It's not correct to say you cannot sue the municipal authorities for the bad roads. Only we don't, not that we can't.
	() Thanks

29th September 2011, 15:30	#11
Jedi.Knight BHPian Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Pune Posts: 54 Thanked: 37 Times	Re: If they can't, we can. Filling potholes in Bangalore. Something on the lines of "The Ugly Indian". The Ugly Indian They have done some amazing projects in Bangalore. One can check out their videos on YouTube.
	() Thanks

30th September 2011, 11:42	#13
kirantp BHPian Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Bangalore Posts: 389 Thanked: 131 Times View My Garage	Re: If they can't, we can. Filling potholes in Bangalore. Bangalore tops the list of pothole cities in India. Not only that, whenever the government tar the road, next day either the watermen or the telecom people dig up the newly tarred roads for their work. I wonder what they will be doing all the while before the road is tarred and what makes them dig it up later. Fed up of their attitude and blame game and guess there is no end to it anytime soon.
	() Thanks

30th September 2011, 15:33	#14
lohithrao Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Kudla/Mangaluru Posts: 3,203 Thanked: 226 Times View My Garage	Re: If they can't, we can. Filling potholes in Bangalore. I think the way things are managed its nothing but chaos! road maintenance is part of it! last week corporation started to dig the road to lay pipes, the speed they are working even a snail will be faster. this thing started to creat huge jams a road which was 20feet was made in to 5feet, absolutly no planning and hapazard way of working... they lay 2pipes in 3days and vanished, now the road is mesy and area is dusty and to top they cut some bsnl lines so these bsnl guys land up dig again and added to the mess, when asked them to cover up the dug up area properly they told its not thier business... added to this they put all the mud to the drain while digging and left.. sometimes i pitty myself to be born as a "common man"
	() Thanks

12th October 2011, 18:51	#15
Oxy BHPian Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Bangalore Posts: 293 Thanked: 675 Times	Re: If they can't, we can. Filling potholes in Bangalore. creative420 - This is a good thought and a noble initiative. Please count me in, hopefully we'd have sufficient people to achieve this. Many would think it's not their job since they pay their taxes. But this is about making our city a better place to live. If the BBMP is busy dozing off, someone has to do their job. Reminds me of the movie "A Wednesday" where a common man sets off to respond to terrorism in his own way.
	(2) Thanks