“No Infrastructure, No Tax”: Residents Appeal to Karnataka CM Over Incomplete Road and Drainage Works
Residents of Varthur, Balagere, and Panathur have urged the Karnataka Chief Minister to fix incomplete and poorly planned road and drainage works, warning they may withhold property tax until basic civic infrastructure is provided.
On October 13, 2025 residents and taxpayers from Varthur, Balagere, and Panathur raised serious concerns over the ongoing unscientific and incomplete road and drainage works in their locality. In a letter addressed to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, members of the Individual Tax Payers Forum (ITPF) urged the government to intervene immediately and direct municipal authorities to stop collecting property tax until basic civic infrastructure is provided.
The forum, which represents income taxpayers across Bengaluru, stated that residents continue to suffer due to poorly coordinated white-topping and stormwater drainage projects undertaken by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA). Despite the Chief Minister’s recent visit to the area on September 27,2025, residents allege that no substantial progress has been made on key issues such as proper drainage connectivity, sewage control, and flood mitigation.
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Recent heavy rains on October 10 and 11,2025 once again led to severe flooding in the area, which residents attribute to the absence of a scientifically planned stormwater network. “Authorities are diverting stormwater into manholes that cannot handle the volume, leading to waterlogging and road damage,” the forum stated, adding that photographs evidencing the issue have been submitted to the CM’s office.
The letter highlighted several lapses by civic agencies, including:
- Failure to divert stormwater correctly and remove encroachments blocking drains.
- Neglect in controlling sewage inflow into Varthur Lake.
- Poorly executed road works and culvert construction leading to leaks and potholes.
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Residents also pointed out that recently repaired stretches such as Panathur Main Road have already started showing signs of deterioration due to improper gradient and water accumulation.
“Namma Bengaluru, known globally as India’s IT hub, is losing its credibility due to civic negligence,” the forum said, stressing that the city’s image as the “Garden City” and “Silicon Valley of India” is being replaced with undesirable tags like “Pothole City” and “Traffic Jam City.”
The taxpayers have requested the Chief Minister to:
- Order a scientific audit of all ongoing drainage and road works.
- Ensure completion of the drainage network before any further road construction.
- Fix accountability among officials and contractors.
- Guarantee safe, well-built roads with footpaths for pedestrians.
The residents further warned that if their demands continue to be ignored, they would urge the government to withhold property tax collection in protest against the lack of basic civic amenities.
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