Bengaluru's BEL Circle Nightmare: Potholes, Patchwork, And Peril For Daily Commuters

Commuters in North Bengaluru continue to face chaos at BEL Circle, a major junction connecting industrial, residential, and defence areas such as Peenya Industrial Area, Yelahanka, Yeshwanthpura, Hebbal, and Jalahalli. Despite repeated assurances, including claims by Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar that pothole-filling work is being carried out on a “war footing,” the circle remains full of craters, uneven tar, and patchwork that barely holds.

Residents say the road is neglected partly because it lies on the boundary of multiple civic wards — Doddabommasandra, Mattikere, JP Park, Jalahalli, and near the Outer Ring Road — with no single authority taking responsibility. Even after complaints to the local MLA and MP, action remains limited.

The hazards are many: buses get stuck, minor accidents happen during rains, and riders face dangerous conditions at night. Temporary fixes fail quickly, and the road has not had proper resurfacing in years. The problem extends beyond BEL Circle to nearby junctions like Gangamma Circle and stretches of HMT Road.

The stretch is riddled with potholes, uneven tar, and temporary patchwork. Commuters say it is almost impossible to navigate during peak hours in the morning, especially between 8 am to 10:30 am. Every morning, the traffic comes to a crawl.

Even BMTC buses — which form the lifeline of public transport here — struggle to pass smoothly, slowing down traffic and causing delays. The road falls at the boundary of multiple wards. Residents believe this is one reason why the road has been neglected: no single authority seems willing to take responsibility for repairs or resurfacing.

Localite Manjunath highlighted the night-time dangers: “It’s especially dangerous at night. You can’t see potholes properly, and many riders have fallen here. This road needs proper asphalt, not just patchwork that disappears in a month. Since 2-3 years, the condition has deteriorated. I drive both two-wheelers and four-wheelers; it’s really dangerous to drive a scooter here as I try to dodge potholes. One of my friend’s daughters suffered an accident near Manyata Tech Park due to bad road conditions. She was admitted to hospital for two months. Previously, BEL Road was smooth, but now the condition is bad. It’s been 3-4 years since no maintenance work has happened. Everyone knows the reason why the government is not repairing the roads; they say they don’t have enough funds after rolling out the free guarantee schemes. If it rains, it’s worse — we won’t know where the potholes are when water fills them. There is another pothole near Gangamma Circle which is dangerous. I request the government to fix the roads of the city first.”

Mahesh, an auto driver, said, “Roads across Bengaluru have deteriorated. Tell me where the roads in the city are good, we’ll go ride there. There isn’t. I suffer from migraine headaches after riding through the bad roads. I drive an auto for 15 days and can’t work on the other days of the month. The government has no money to do any work, how will they fix the roads? This road’s condition has been bad for almost 10 years. I’ve been an auto driver for 35 years now and there has been no change. Proper patchwork isn’t done; it comes off if it rains. Many accidents happen here every morning. There is another road behind DK Shivakumar’s college that is so bad. Show it to him, he’ll fix it immediately.”

Local resident Subramanya added, “The road from BEL Circle to Gangamma Circle is horrible. Every day at least 3-4 accidents occur here. No solution has been brought despite repeated complaints. The government talks about tunnel roads; first, fix existing roads. It takes 15 minutes to travel a kilometre here. Bengaluru has become a city of potholes. This road comes under RR Nagar; we have written to the MLA and MP but received no response. Every single day at least 3-4 accidents happen. We don’t have a tunnel road; I request the government to fix the roads here.”

For a junction that connects so many major routes and sees thousands of vehicles daily, BEL Circle, Gangamma Circle, and HMT Road nearby also deserve urgent attention. Until proper resurfacing and maintenance are carried out, commuters will continue to struggle, while responsibility remains unclear between multiple civic wards.