Bengaluru | September 7, 2026
Residents of Kalyan Nagar and Vidyaranyapura are dealing with broken footpaths, open drains, muddy roads and parking obstructions, prompting the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) to announce repairs, inspections and new design measures across the city.
Residents said the conditions have made routine walking and driving hazardous, particularly for children, senior citizens, pedestrians and two-wheeler riders. In Kalyan Nagar, 81-year-old resident TR Vasudeva said an open drain and a badly damaged footpath outside his home had made even short journeys and taking out a car risky.
“It’s a mishap waiting to happen. The infrastructure has remained the same for more than three months, and the rains have only made the situation worse,” Vasudeva said.
Another resident, Reshma N, said overflowing drains and seepage had become common in recent weeks. She said open drains became especially dangerous for pedestrians and two-wheelers during flooding, and argued that the problems should have been addressed before the monsoon.
Parking has added to the pressure on already damaged or encroached footpaths. Residents said vehicles occupy large stretches of road, forcing pedestrians to move into traffic. One resident questioned where pedestrians were expected to walk when parked vehicles took up part of the carriageway, while expressing hope that new parking rules would improve the situation.
Residents in north Bengaluru’s Vidyaranyapura have reported similar problems. A video posted on X by @bengalurupost1 showed muddy, pothole-ridden roads in Kanshiram Nagar near Singapura Lake and urged the Bengaluru North City Corporation to inspect the area. Resident Navami Prabhakar said the roads had deteriorated during the monsoon, with two-wheelers often skidding and pedestrians being forced to walk on muddy surfaces because proper footpaths were absent.
The GBA has made budgetary provisions for properly levelled footpaths alongside new road projects, GBA Chief Commissioner M Maheshwar Rao said. Around 400 km of footpaths have already been completed across Bengaluru, according to Rao.
Rao said footpath slabs removed during desilting were sometimes not replaced correctly, leaving pathways unsafe. Executive engineers have been instructed to reset the slabs and clear obstructions, he said. Commissioners have also been directed to form special teams over the next month to supervise repairs, coordinate with maintenance contractors and remove encroachments or other obstructions.
Rao said he would ask officials from the north corporation to visit Kalyan Nagar. He added that narrow roads would require designs suited to their available width. Depending on site conditions, authorities may consider simple lane markings or mixed-use road designs instead of raised footpaths.
Officials will conduct on-site inspections to assess footpath usability and address complaints about broken or inaccessible stretches. The inspections and special teams are expected to guide the next phase of repairs and coordination with contractors.
