Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Monday defended his government’s efforts to repair Bengaluru’s damaged roads. He said civic teams are filling “thousands of potholes per day” despite heavy rainfall affecting the city.

“I toured Delhi yesterday. The media should see how many potholes there are on the Prime Minister’s residence road,” Shivakumar told reporters. He added that poor roads are a problem “across India” and not just in Karnataka. He said, “I want to tell big IT companies these potholes are everywhere. But we have to do our duty to close them. This is the system across India. The media is showcasing it as only Karnataka. Why would roads be this way if BJP could have done it better?”

Shivakumar’s remarks come amid growing concerns about Bengaluru’s crumbling infrastructure. Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy recently called the city a “city of potholes”. The issue gained attention after logistics firm BlackBuck said it would relocate from the city’s Outer Ring Road due to poor road conditions.

Last week, Shivakumar dismissed worries about companies leaving the city, saying the government was “least bothered about threats or blackmailing.” He highlighted Bengaluru’s large talent pool, with over 25 lakh engineers and around two lakh foreign professionals, as proof of the city’s global appeal.

The Deputy Chief Minister said contractors have a final deadline to fix all potholes by November. He also announced Rs 1,100 crore for road repair and construction. He added, “Since our goal is a clean Bengaluru and smooth traffic movement, GBA will ensure that potholes are cleared at the earliest.”

Bengaluru’s residents and businesses will now watch closely to see if these repairs improve the city’s roads before the deadline.

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