A video highlighting the condition of the Hennur–Bagalur stretch, promoted as an “alternate route” to Kempegowda International Airport, has gone viral on X, leading to criticism of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike’s (BBMP) continued inaction.
The clip, shared by a local resident, shows vehicles struggling to navigate deep potholes and uneven surfaces between Sparsh Hospital and Bagalur Colony.
Commuters say the stretch has been left unrepaired for over a year despite repeated complaints and social media appeals.
“Is this really the alternate route to Bengaluru Airport?” one user asked while sharing footage of the cratered road.
“The Hennur–Bagalur stretch, from Sparsh Hospital to Bagalur Colony, is broken and filled with potholes. If improved, it can ease pressure on Hebbal and save citizens in East Bengaluru and nearby areas time, cost and ORR jams,” he added.
Another commuter wrote, “It gets worse as you near the airport.”
Many argued on social media that repairing the stretch could help thousands of daily travellers in East Bengaluru by reducing fuel costs, cutting travel time, and lowering traffic volumes on the main airport expressway.
Yet, they said, the silence from the local MLA and BBMP officials has been deafening.
Some even speculated that vested interests were at play. “I believe the toll mafia of the main airport road don’t want BBMP to fix this. Really sad if it’s true,” remarked one user.
Another quipped, “Maybe to hide this failure, the expressway boards constantly flash ‘This is the fastest way to the airport’.”
The road is part of a crucial corridor that houses several IT and hardware parks, aerospace hubs, two public universities and at least eight colleges.
Despite its strategic importance, residents point out that no elevated highway or metro connectivity has been proposed for the region.
“The condition of this road has been appalling for years,” wrote one user. “No amount of visits, inspections or ‘reality checks’ seems to lead to actual repair work. Is anyone even listening?”
