Bengaluru's Vital Industrial Artery Descends into Commuting Chaos
The 6-kilometer Bommasandra-Jigani industrial corridor, which serves as a crucial artery for some of Bengaluru's largest pharmaceutical and technology companies, has transformed into a daily nightmare for thousands of commuters. With severely cratered roads, completely missing or defunct streetlights, and apparent governance confusion, this stretch has pushed safety concerns to the forefront of public discourse.
A Dangerous Passage Through Dense Neighborhoods
This critical stretch is used daily by thousands of industrial workers and also cuts through densely populated residential areas featuring high-rise apartments and independent houses, making its current state of neglect impossible for residents to ignore. Local commuters report that poor lighting combined with deep, treacherous potholes has rendered the road particularly unsafe after dusk, creating heightened vulnerability especially for women traveling during evening hours.
Motorists navigating this corridor often find themselves unable to properly judge the depth of potholes due to inadequate lighting, leading to frequent incidents of skidding, falls, and significant vehicle damage. The situation has deteriorated to such an extent that what should be a straightforward commute has become a hazardous journey for all who depend on this vital connection.
Voices from the Ground: Frustration and Neglect
Suresh Babu KR, a manager in the injection-moulding industry, described commuting on this stretch as an absolute nightmare. He specifically pointed out that the road from APC Circle to Bommasandra is riddled with dangerous potholes, with accidents occurring almost daily. "Earlier, traveling from Srinidhi Layout to Bommasandra was somewhat manageable," he recalled. "Now I've shifted near Jigani, just 7 kilometers away, but it takes an extraordinarily long time to reach my destination because of the road's deplorable condition. What's most frustrating is that nobody seems to be taking responsibility or doing anything about it."
The Bommasandra–Jigani link road hosts major corporate entities including pharmaceutical giants Biocon, Cipla, MicroLabs, and Mylan Laboratories, alongside technology leader HCL Technologies. Despite this concentration of industrial power, basic infrastructure maintenance appears to have fallen through the cracks.
Shiva Shankar HN, a labor contractor working in the area, claimed there is a complete absence of basic maintenance. "The road is in the worst possible condition," he stated emphatically. "There are no proper streetlights, nobody maintains the existing infrastructure, and even the industrial association is not taking responsibility, despite so many major industries operating along this corridor."
Industrial Road in Name Only
Industrialist Rammohan MN offered a particularly stark assessment, describing the corridor as an industrial road "only in name." He highlighted that there is virtually no functional drainage system, making it impossible to ride even two-wheelers during monsoon seasons. "On this 6-kilometer road, hardly 20 meters is free of dangerous potholes," he revealed. "The industrial association focuses primarily on industry-specific issues rather than basic amenities, even though thousands of workers commute along this stretch between 7 PM and 9 PM every evening."
Governance Confusion and Promised Solutions
Responding to mounting criticism, A Prasad of the Bommasandra Industries Association explained the bureaucratic confusion surrounding responsibility for the road. He clarified that the road was previously under the jurisdiction of the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) but has now been formally handed over to the public works department (PWD). "It has been declared a state highway, which has created confusion over maintenance responsibility," Prasad acknowledged. "We have over 5 lakh people working in this industrial area. We share the frustration and have consistently followed up with authorities; the government needs to step in decisively to resolve this situation."
PWD assistant engineer Sachin GR provided details about planned remediation efforts, noting that a Rs 10-crore tender has already been floated and awarded after the road was officially taken over from KIADB. He confirmed that work orders would be issued within a day or two. However, he clarified that comprehensive repairs will only commence after underground works by the Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Drainage Board are completed. "That preliminary work will take approximately three months," Sachin explained. "After that, we will lay two layers of bitumen and complete 5.5 kilometers of road in about 10 days. The entire rehabilitation project should be finished within five months from commencement."
Corporate Leadership Raises Public Concern
Adding corporate weight to the public outcry, Biocon chief Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw took to social media platform X to highlight this long-pending infrastructure issue. She revealed that she had repeatedly raised concerns about the deteriorating condition of the Bommasandra–Jigani stretch and had received assurances that corrective action would be taken promptly. Tagging the Greater Bengaluru Authority and industries minister MB Patil, she expressed cautious optimism that these promises would finally translate into tangible, on-ground improvements for the beleaguered corridor.
Until the promised repairs materialize, commuters and residents along one of Bengaluru's most economically important industrial corridors must continue navigating darkness, dangerous potholes, and uncertainty every single day, hoping that bureaucratic processes will eventually yield the safe, functional infrastructure that this vital economic zone deserves.
