A 43-year-old Bengaluru man has dragged the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to court after the city’s poorly maintained roads landed him in hospital emergencies four times. Dr Dhivya Kiran, in the legal notice, stated that he has been subjected to “continuous physical hardship and mental agony” as BBMP failed to “maintain basic civic infrastructure”. He attributes his severe back and neck pain to the repeated “jerks and trauma” sustained while commuting on Bengaluru’s “treacherous roads”.
He has demanded Rs 50 lakh from BBMP in compensation, in addition to Rs 10,000 legal costs. The legal notice, dated May 14, has been addressed to the Commissioner of BBMP and outlines five key points of grievance.
‘Extreme pain, trauma, and suffering’
Dr Kiran noted that he experienced “extreme pain, trauma and suffering” owing to the poor conditions of the roads in Bengaluru, which he described as being riddled with “potholes, broken and uneven pathways, and unmotorable road surfaces”.
‘Suffered severe neck, back pain’
Despite being a taxpayer, Dr Kiran said he had endured “continuous physical hardship and mental agony”. He claimed that his back and neck pain had been “medically linked” to the “jerks and trauma” he experienced while commuting on Bengaluru’s “treacherous roads”.
‘Made 4 emergency visits’
Dr Kiran further stated that the pain was so severe that he had to consult five orthopaedic specialists and had to make four emergency visits to a hospital. During these visits, he claimed, he underwent “injections and procedures to relieve acute agony”. He is also on multiple medications to manage his condition.
“He has also experienced episodes of crying out in pain, loss of sleep, anxiety, and mental distress, all of which have deeply affected his well-being and daily functioning,” the legal notice states.
‘Roads limited mobility’
One of the reasons cited in the legal notice is Dr Kiran’s restricted mobility, attributed to the “hazardous conditions of the road”. He stated that every time he travels by auto-rickshaw or rides a bike, either as a rider or pillion, it “worsens his spinal and neck condition”.
The notice further states, “Even cab rides are difficult, though marginally more tolerable than autos or bikes.”
A #Bengaluru resident Dr.Kiran has served legal notice to #BBMP, alleging that its failure to maintain basic infrastructure has caused him continuous physical hardship & suffered neck/back pain.He has demanded compensation of 50 lakh to cover medical expenses & emotional distress pic.twitter.com/gouJSBtTXP
— Yasir Mushtaq (@path2shah) May 19, 2025
‘Rs 50 lakh compensation’
The Bengaluru resident is seeking Rs 50 lakh in compensation from BBMP over its “gross negligence and failure” to uphold basic civic responsibilities. The amount quoted in the legal notice is intended to cover past and future medical expenses, emotional distress, physical suffering, loss of normal life, travel costs for medical consultations, and overall trauma.
The notice states that if the municipal corporation fails to pay the specified sum along with the legal costs, the plaintiff will move to court. “…necessary legal actions and criminal cases will be initiated against you [BBMP],” it noted.