Bengaluru: Shoddy pipe-laying work by BWSSB officials and the failure of BBMP officials to replace a faulty streetlight led to a serious accident involving a Deccan Chronicle journalist, who lost consciousness after suffering serious injuries on her head and face when she rode into a pothole on Thursday night. The accident occurred near Iskcon Shri Jagganath Temple on Seshadripuram First Main Road going towards Guttahalli.
Pragna L. Krupa, the 22-year-old journalist and a resident of Guttahalli, was on her way home from work when the accident occurred around 10.30 pm.
Pragna was on her two-wheeler and failed to spot the pothole, which had been filled with mud after it had been dug open to lay a pipe to a nearby manhole. She fell from her scooter and suffered injuries to her left shoulder and face. She lost consciousness and was shifted to a nearby hospital by passersby and Seshadripuram police.
The doctors, who examined her, referred her to Nimhans, where she is said to be out of danger.
The victim said that the entire stretch was dark as the only streetlight on the road was not working that night. She could not see the pothole and drove into it, Pragna later said.
The temple officials told DC that the "The BWSSB was carrying out the maintenance work. They completed the work a few days ago and filled the pothole with mud, but recent rains washed it away." A BWSSB official said much the same thing: "The pothole was covered, but the recent rains have washed away the mud. We have directed our men to ensure that it is covered properly." The official claimed that "the main problem is that there is no streetlight at the spot, and during the night, people fail to see the pothole." The victim has lodged a complaint at the Seshadripuarm police station against both the BWSSB and BBMP for shoddy work and non-functioning streetlight. The police said that they will investigate to find out who the officials were who supervised the work of digging up the road and laying the pipe. A police officer said, "We will question local BBMP officials to check why they had not maintained the streetlights on the stretch. Necessary action will be taken against the guilty." Despite repeated attempts, Deccan Chronicle could not get BBMP officials to respond to why they had not repaired faulty streetlights. A senior police officer said, "It is an unfortunate incident. It is a serious issue and we will book the civic officials for the sloppy work."
Pragna L. Krupa
Mayor to conduct spot inspection
Mayor Sampath Raj promised Deccan Chronicle that a spot inspection will be conducted on Saturday along with the engineers to check who is at fault and if the permission was obtained for digging or cutting the road where Deccan Chronicle journalist Pragna L. Krupa fell and sustained injuries on Thursday night. Even if the permission had been taken action will be initiated for not restoring the road or failing to keep a caution board. Further, he said that the BBMP electrical department will be directed to ensure proper illumination along the stretch.
