Bengaluru: The nearly 7km Bommasandra–Jigani Link Road, a critical industrial corridor lined with multinational companies engaged in cutting-edge research, should rank among the city’s best roads by global standards. Instead, it has deteriorated to a condition worse than many village roads.With residents and commuters complaining that crumbling infrastructure and official apathy have stretched travel time from 15-20 minutes to nearly an hour, TOI visited the corridor to assess the situation. The findings were stark. The road is riddled with potholes and broken stretches, with only about 2km of the entire length reasonably motorable, and a two-wheeler ride along the corridor recorded nearly 350 jolts and bumps despite attempts to avoid the damaged sections.For thousands who use the road daily, the commute has become a test of endurance, raising questions about the neglect of one of Bengaluru’s most important industrial corridors, home to over 1,000 companies. Major establishments along the stretch include Biocon Park, Micro Labs Ltd, Apotex Research, HCL Technologies’ SEZ campus, Carl Zeiss India, Sansera Engineering, and Toyota Industries Engine India.Near the Biocon campus, one side of the carriageway has been resurfaced while the opposite side remains badly damaged. Beyond this isolated stretch, most of the road continues to be in poor condition.Officials familiar with the matter said development and maintenance of the industrial area were earlier handled by Bommasandra Industrial Area Committee. After Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) took over, it began collecting taxes previously levied by the committee. Bommasandra–Jigani Link Road was subsequently handed over to the public works department for maintenance and future development.Commuters and industry representatives said the corridor needs complete resurfacing and sustained maintenance rather than temporary patchwork, given its strategic importance to one of the city’s largest industrial clusters and the thousands of employees who use it daily.The stretch falls under Bangalore South constituency. Sitting MLA M Krishnappa was unavailable for comment despite multiple attempts by TOI.Dust, no footpathsThe problems extend beyond the carriageway. Large sections lack footpaths, forcing pedestrians to walk alongside moving traffic. Several stretches are bordered by exposed mud, sand and loose soil instead of paved shoulders. As vehicles pass through the industrial corridor, dust clouds are kicked up throughout the day, reducing visibility and causing discomfort to workers, two-wheeler riders, and pedestrians. Commuters said conditions worsen during dry weather, while rains turn the muddy edges into slush, making movement even more difficult.Voices From The GroundBhavesh Kumar | member, Bommasandra Industries AssociationThe road was in much better condition earlier. The problem is not just building the road but maintaining it. Over the years, responsibility changed hands and the condition kept deteriorating. We are now hoping that the agencies currently in charge will undertake a comprehensive redevelopment of the corridorAkshay Math | employeeThe road’s condition has become a major challenge for us. I drive a car on this stretch and it just keeps bouncing. I can’t remember any MLA or official taking action. The potholes are huge and where there are no potholes, there are uneven road stretches. Because of this, travel time during peak hours has increased drasticallyNarayan | employeeOne major issue is the dust. Two-wheeler riders and pedestrians suffer most. Some road or utility work is always happening, but the dug-up portions are never restored properly. When it rains, the situation becomes even worse. There is no one to complain to and nobody seems to botherPurushotham | commuterFor nearly a year now, I’ve been seeing the road in this condition. Vehicle speeds have reduced significantly, leading to slow-moving traffic. After 5pm, travelling on this road becomes extremely difficult. There is heavy movement of trucks and other vehicles, but the road quality does not seem adequate to withstand the load. What used to take 15 minutes now takes more than 40 minutesGanga | employeeThe main problem is that we keep bouncing throughout the journey. In all these years, I’ve never seen officials come here and ask about these civic problems. Bus journeys are even worse, often causing backache and discomfort because of the constant jerks
