The picture-perfect facades of Kolar tell a different story when one looks down at the roads. The avenues that connect each road to the main road have virtually ceased to exist. A ground reality check in the interior lanes of Kolar reveals a civic apathy that has left residents wading through sludge, swerving to avoid craters, and living next to open, overflowing drains. Photographs from the locality show the extent of the damage. In several lanes, the asphalt has completely peeled off, leaving behind a treacherous stretch of loose gravel, deep potholes filled with stagnant rainwater, and black sewage sludge dumped right in the middle of the road after drain cleaning. What locals are saying: For the people living here, this is not just an inconvenience; it is a daily hazard. “We pay premium property tax, but we get village-like roads in return,” said a resident of a lane near The Global Play School, where a large mound of wet silt has been left on the carriageway for days.

 

“My children have to cross this sludge to reach their school van. Two-wheelers skid here every other day. The stench from the open drain is unbearable.” An elderly woman living in the same lane said she has stopped stepping out after evening. “The open pit next to my gate is a death trap. There is no barricade, no cover. If someone falls in at night, who will be responsible?” she asked, pointing to the deep, uncovered drain. Vehicle owners complained of recurring repair bills. “The manhole in the middle of the road juts out by three inches and the road around it has caved in. If you don’t see it in time, your bike will topple.

 

My car suspension is already damaged,” said a young professional who commutes daily to MP Nagar. Other issues raised by locals include: Accident risk: Water-filled potholes hide their depth, making them especially dangerous for two-wheeler riders and school children. Health hazard: Stagnant water mixed with sewage sludge has become a breeding ground for mosquitoes, with residents reporting a rise in fever cases. Blocked access: Cars cannot enter several lanes as sludge and debris block half the road, forcing residents to park far away. No accountability: Residents allege that after the recent sewage line work, contractors left the excavated material on the road and never returned to restore it. A Premium Locality, Neglected: Kolar was developed as one of Bhopal’s most sought-after residential areas. However, residents say maintenance has not kept pace with its growth.

 

While main roads get patchwork repairs, interior colonies have been ignored through this entire monsoon season. Despite multiple complaints on the Bhopal Municipal Corporation’s helpline and to the local corporator, no permanent repair work has started. The temporary filling of potholes with loose murum gets washed away in the next spell of rain. When contacted, civic officials said repair work will be taken up on priority once the rains subside. For Kolar residents, that assurance offers little comfort as they navigate the same broken stretch, every single day.