Former Police Commissioner To Bangaloreans: How To Drive Comfortably On Potholed Roads
The poor road conditions and potholes in Bengaluru have recently been making headlines. From CEO’s voicing plans to relocate their offices to various politicians intervening and implementing quick fixes on broken stretches, the past few days saw a lot happen. Now, Bengaluru’s former police commissioner has come up with some advice for the city dwellers, which he claims would reduce the discomfort caused by these potholes and bad roads. He asked citizens to reduce their tyre pressure while commuting...
Bhaskar Rao, the South Indian city’s former police commissioner, shared the advice through his official X (formerly Twitter) handle. His post reads: ‘Dear Bengalurians, please solve your driving discomfort. Please reduce your tyre pressure in Bengaluru to 30-32 from 34-36. Your tyres will marginally reduce discomfort when you are driving on uneven and potholed roads. Please try..’
This advice could prove to be of great use to citizens. Usually, on cars and SUVs, the recommended tyre pressure is 34-36 PSI. This may vary with make and model. For any given vehicle, the ideal tyre pressure will be clearly marked somewhere on the vehicle- usually on the door jamb sticker or on the fuel filler cap. The owner’s manual will also have this data.
Tyre pressure has a direct impact on any vehicle’s ride quality. A 36 PSI pressure makes the ride harsh and bumpy. If you overinflate the tyres, even the smallest of undulations on the road will be felt inside. Bringing the pressure to the 30-32 PSI ballpark will increase the contact patch and even absorb more impact evenly, thereby making the ride smoother and slightly more comfortable for the occupants.
The pressure shouldn’t, however, fall too low. Driving with under-inflated tyres on bad roads and through potholes may lead to the vehicle losing control and can even cause blowouts. If you take the 30 PSI route, proper care should be taken to monitor and ensure the pressure. Also, make sure to do these when the tyres are ‘cold’.
The severity of the situation came to light after a Bengaluru startup CEO took to social media saying that he wishes to move out of Bellandur, due to the poor road conditions and dust there. The company has had its base in the Outer Ring Road (ORR) area for years. He said that due to the traffic and poor road conditions, the commuting times for his employees have gone up significantly. The post soon gained traction online and prompted immediate reactions from various authorities.
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar in a later remark, said that threatening or blackmailing the government won’t work for corporates. He also promised citizens that the government would soon find a proper solution to the crisis. Multiple meetings were held to discuss the issue.
In the past few days, potholes on a 1.3 km stretch on the Outer Ring Road (ORR) were filled. This stretch falls in the Mahadevapura Assembly constituency. The Executive Engineer of the Bengaluru East City Corporation (BECC), however, stated that this filling wasn’t sufficient and added that the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB), Karnataka Power Corporation Limited, and Bengaluru Electricity Supply Company (BESCOM) have been digging these roads for their work. This particular stretch is currently 20 ft wide. It is now being widened to 40ft.
In the coming weeks, the infamous stretches on ORR will see more repair work. These are part of a larger initiative to make Bengaluru roads pothole-free by November this year. The Deputy CM has already issued deadlines for contractors to complete citywide repairs. Fresh funds have reportedly been allocated for these.