BBMP to pay compensation to victims of bad roads

Bengaluru: In a significant development, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has decided to own up responsibility for loss of life or injuries sustained by citizens in accidents caused due to potholes or poor condition of roads or footpaths and pay a reasonable compensation. In a public notification issued by the civic body, it said it will pay a compensation of Rs 3 lakh in case of death of a citizen.

A representation to claim compensation can be submitted either by the aggrieved party or the immediate family member of the victim to the zonal commissioner, joint commissioner or the additional commissioner, and, if the Palike considers the representation genuine, the compensation would be given within a month. However, the representation can be rejected if the claim is false or if the victim did not take necessary precautions in spite of warnings about the existence of potholes have been displayed by the civic body.

The Karnataka High Court pulled up the BBMP, this year, for defying its order to compensate the victims of accidents caused because of potholes.