Left in a state of apathy by the authorities

BANGALORE: The Shivajinagar bus depot is said to be one of the busiest bus depot in the city after the Kempegowda bus station.While the commuters are still plagued with the many complications that it faces, the road to the bus depot also propounds it own myriad of problems.The Venkataswamy Naidu Road, at the SG Balekundri Circle, brings with it a large crater. The road is mainly used by buses in order to reach the depot. Most buses avoid the whole stretch of the lane due to the potholes.Also, the adverse location of the pothole right after the signal doesn’t help the cause. Further down, the Meenakshi Kovil Street, lying in close proximity to the station, which leads the way for buses to the circle, seems to be shrinking more and more everyday due to the authorities turning a blind eye despite the apparent pathetic plight of the road.The presence of an abundant number of potholes through the complete expanse of the lane causes severe traffic jams mainly at peak hours. All the by-lanes of the main road too haven’t been spared. In the first street, the road itself seems to be uneven and jagged with perilous speed-breakers, which, the residents say, has lead to minor accidents in the past. In the second one, the presence of potholes replete with crushed stones signifying an apathetic response from the authorities, is putting commuters in severe distress.Drivers say that despite many complaints about the potholes and the state of the road from the depot, they have failed in seeing any action taken up by the authorities. A Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) bus driver, on the condition of anonymity, complained, “It’s so hard to navigate a bus through these roads. Despite the fact that it’s a 24 hour green signal, driving through is no child’s play.”Sahil, a motorist who resides in Shivajinagar, remarked, “It’s been this way for years now. The road assures one a bumpy ride. The disposal of garbage and the deplorable condition of the bus stand adds to our woes multifold.” At several key locations, construction material that has been dumped haphazardly puts pedestrians in a lurch.The heavy downpour that the city has been receiving lately doesn’t help matters either. One cannot gauge the depth of the potholes making it difficult for one to traverse through.The local corporator of the area, M Gopi, was unavailable for comments.