Why Bengaluru’s pothole victims should be compensated, and why they aren’t

As per a High Court order in July, BBMP has to compensate the victims of pothole accidents. But the Palike does not yet have a process or guidelines for giving compensation.

Did you know that BBMP is liable to pay you compensation if you get injured in a pothole accident? This is as per a High Court order in July. BBMP refused to act on the order initially. But after warnings from the court, it published a newspaper ad last month saying compensation would be given on a case-by-case basis.

However, currently there are no guidelines on the process for applying for compensation, a point of contact, or on the compensation amount to be paid for different types of injuries. BBMP has also challenged High Court’s order in the Supreme Court.

In contrast, countries like UK have a system in place for compensating pothole accident victims. Between 2014 and 2018, municipal councils in UK paid compensation of over one million pounds to such victims. These councils also have a robust mechanism for addressing pothole-related complaints. In comparison, citizen complaints to BBMP tend to pile up without resolution.

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Bengaluru’s pothole victims’ pain continues, no formal way yet to claim compensation

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