Potholes and Traffic in Bengaluru: Nikhil Kamath’s Take on the Situation
Potholes are a nuisance to many roads in cities around the world, but in India, it’s become a landmark feature of Bengaluru according to a recent report. The historic “Abizer’s Pothole” in Bellandur became a landmark on Google Maps, and got numerous humorous 5-star reviews. The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) data showed that 23,000-25,000 potholes were filled during the financial years between 2019-2022 at an expense of Rs 7,121 crore, raising questions about how many potholes are left open in the city. Billionaire Nikhil Kamath, founder of Zerodha, downplayed the issue, stating that people in Bengaluru still have fresh air to breathe amid traffic and potholes for an hour a day. He also highlighted the serenity one can enjoy from overlooking the trees, despite the challenges of the polluted lake and poor air quality.
Kamath referred to an infographic of pollution across 11 major Indian cities, inherited from October-November 2022 and 2023, conducted by the Rain Matter Foundation. According to the data, Bengaluru’s air pollution remained below the threshold. However, a Greenpeace India study showed that the air pollution in the city is five times worse than the guidelines set by the World Health Organization. Not only that but Bengaluru’s PM10 concentration was found to exceed the safe levels by 3.7 times.
In the meantime, netizens reacted to Kamath’s tweet discussing the city’s traffic and fresh air, questioning the sustainability of the clean air without trees. Many emphasized that lesser lakes make the situation worse and that vehicular pollution should not contribute to the deterioration of air quality in Bengaluru.
It remains to be seen how city authorities will address the issue of potholes and traffic, as well as air and water quality to ensure the general well-being of the people of Bengaluru. The challenges are immense, but solutions are needed to make the city more livable and enable citizens to enjoy a better quality of life.
