CM asks civic officials to make B'luru pothole free in 15 days

Facing heat over battered city roads becoming a nightmare for commuters claiming three lives in the past one week and leaving scores of others injured, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah today directed the civic agency to make the city roads pothole free within a fortnight.
Yesterday a woman, identified as Radha (47), lost her life when she was run over by a truck at Pantharapalya near Nayandahalli.
She was riding pillion with her nephew RaviKumar (24) in a bike which skidded while negotiating a crater like pothole.
The State government and Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), the city civic body, came under sharp criticism following the incident.

Siddaramaiah today visited the spot where the accident took place.
He was accompanied by Bengaluru Mayor S Sampath Raj and BBMP commissioner N Manjunath Prasad.

Speaking to reporters, Siddaramaiah said unprecedented rains this year had badly damaged the city roads.
The Chief Minister said "This year we received rainslike never before due to which potholes have surfaced on the road. This accident should not have happened.
No one shoulddie. I condole the death of the woman. Already compensationhas been given (to the next to the kin of deceased).
The Chief Minister said the civic agency lacks expertise to fill potholes when rains are on.

Siddaramaiah said he had directed the mayor to makethe city pothole free in a fortnight.
"This is the first step. Our next step will be asphalt and white-top important road.Wherever Metro Rail is coming up, such roads have been handedover to Bengaluru Metro Rail.
The Chief Minister said he had directed the MetroRail managing Director P S Kharola to get the roads asphalted.
A couple was killed a week back when a Tamil Nadu state transport corporation bus hit their bike.
The couple with their granddaughter was returning from hospital with their granddaughter when the mishap occurred on Mysuru road flyover,where the motorist slowed down his bike to negotiate a pothole and was hit by the bus from the rear.

Their granddaughter escapedwith minor injuries.