An artificial intelligence-based survey of roads in Bengaluru North has identified 14,393 potholes across 72 wards, while reporting that 82.1% of the surveyed road network is in good or adequate condition. The assessment covers 2,493.5 km of roads and is intended to help the civic administration prioritise repairs, maintenance and road development.
According to a report by Vijay Karnataka, the survey used AI-based technology to map road conditions, identify locations requiring repairs and record damage caused by utility works. Of the total network assessed, 1,426.8 km was classified as being in good condition and 607.1 km had minor surface defects. Together, these two categories account for 82.1% of the surveyed roads.
The remaining 17.9% of the road length was reported to have been affected by utility works or to include unpaved roads. The survey recorded an average of 5.8 potholes per kilometre across the civic area. The findings are intended to give the administration a consolidated view of the road network rather than relying only on individual complaints or ward-level inspections.
The assessment also identified 102 km of roads in the E-3 category, where 544 roads were recorded as damaged by utility works. The report did not specify the agencies responsible for each stretch or detail a repair schedule for these locations. It said the information would be used to give priority to road maintenance, restoration and development works where required.
A separate finding was the identification of 821 roads without asphalt or classified as unpaved. These roads are expected to be considered in future road development plans based on local requirements, with the stated objective of improving public access and safety.
The ward-level figures show significant differences in the reported condition of roads. The Rajarajeshwari Nagar division has 117.9 km of roads, of which 85% was classified as being in good condition, with 1,222 potholes identified. Pulakeshinagar has 149.5 km of roads, 75% in good condition and 1,357 potholes. By road length, Byatarayanapura is the largest division covered, with 823.5 km, 82% classified as being in good condition and 5,964 potholes recorded.
Sarvagnanagar has 406.6 km of roads, 86% in good condition and 2,359 potholes, while Hebbal has 293.2 km, 83% in good condition and 1,368 potholes. Dasarahalli has 313.5 km of roads, 81% in good condition and 966 potholes. The report lists Yelahanka with 389.5 km of roads, a 21% good-condition figure and 157 potholes; the published figure appears unusually low compared with the other divisions, but no clarification was provided in the supplied report.
The survey marks a shift towards using a mapped and technology-based inventory for road management. Its immediate administrative value will depend on how the findings are converted into repair priorities, utility coordination and project schedules. The report said the civic body plans to use the survey data while planning future road maintenance and development works.
