Bengaluru’s crumbling road infrastructure is now facing legal heat, as a 43-year-old resident has sent a Rs 50 lakh legal notice to the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), claiming that the condition of the city's roads has directly resulted in his severe spinal and neck injuries.
Dhivya Kiran, who lives in Richmond Town, alleged that repeated exposure to pothole-ridden and waterlogged roads has left him with long-term health issues, pushing him to take legal recourse.
Legal Notice Sent to Civic Body
The notice, sent on May 14 through Advocate K V Laveen, cites five orthopedic consultations and four emergency hospital visits that Kiran claimed were a direct result of the "jerks and trauma" endured during daily commutes. “He has also experienced anxiety, sleeplessness, and emotional distress due to the chronic pain,” said his lawyer, adding that Kiran has had to rely heavily on medication and medical procedures for relief, according to a report by NDTV.
Kiran has demanded compensation not only for physical suffering but also for loss of mobility and disruption to personal and professional life. According to the notice, if the BBMP fails to respond within 15 days, legal proceedings will follow. He has also sought Rs 10,000 as charges for the notice issued to BBMP.
Infrastructure Negligence or Civic Apathy?
Unseasonal rains recently exposed the fragility of the city’s roads, with many areas waterlogged and rendered impassable. Kiran, like many citizens, claims to have repeatedly flagged the condition of roads to authorities with no response.
"Even the smallest pothole can cause unbearable pain. I’m a tax-paying citizen. Is it too much to ask for roads that don’t ruin our health," he told NDTV.
The BBMP has yet to respond to the legal notice.
