"Is Road-Making Rocket Science?": Bengaluru Development Minister On Potholes

Newly appointed Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda has questioned the city's long-standing approach to road maintenance, arguing that the focus should shift from repeatedly filling potholes to addressing the root causes behind their formation.

Speaking to NDTV, Mr Gowda said the persistent pothole problem reflects deeper issues in the quality of public works execution.

"People ask, why are you not filling the potholes? I'm asking them, why do potholes arise at all?" he said. "Is road-making rocket science that we can't build a road that doesn't frequently develop potholes? Roads are made all over the world. It's not everywhere that potholes keep arising," he added.

The minister said Bengaluru's administration has become trapped in a cycle of repairing recurring road damage rather than preventing it through better construction standards.

"If we do substandard work, it leads to potholes, and then we are forever and ever in the business of filling potholes. It is like chasing your own tail," he said.

Potholes, he said, are merely a symptom of a larger problem -- the quality of execution across government projects. The same principle applies not only to roads but also to day-to-day administration. "If we do a decent job, a lot of future problems can be prevented," he added. 

Asked if he had a specific vision for improving road quality, including the use of asphalt or white-topping technologies, Gowda said the government already has the necessary systems in place.

"My broad and basic understanding is that all systems are in place in government. You have a quality control wing, a chief engineer in charge of quality, and third-party audits," he said. "The job of people like us, sitting at the helm of responsibility, is to ensure that the system functions the way it ought to function."

While not every problem can be eliminated, significant improvements are possible if accountability mechanisms function, he maintained.

The minister also addressed questions over his earlier reluctance to assume charge of the Bengaluru Development portfolio, citing concerns that key agencies responsible for the city's infrastructure did not fall under his direct authority.

His concerns, he said, stemmed from the complexity of governing a city of nearly 15 million people, where multiple agencies operate across overlapping jurisdictions.

"Bengaluru is a really monumental challenge," he said, pointing out that the city has struggled for decades to keep pace with its growth.
"Since the time of SM Krishna, we have been trying to play catch-up, but we have never caught up, and we are never ahead of the curve of problems," he said. For that reason, he argued, accountability must be accompanied by clearly defined responsibility.

Gowda said he had conveyed these concerns to former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and the Congress leadership. However, he said he was asked to begin work immediately while the issues he raised are examined.

Asked whether he was now satisfied with the portfolio allocation, the minister struck a philosophical note.

"Public life is not something where all your wishes come true all the time. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don't work. You have to take what is given in your stride and put your best foot forward," he added.