Canadian’s viral post prompts footpath repair in Indiranagar

The incident concerns the footpath on 12th Main Road in Indiranagar, where portions of the pavement had reportedly collapsed and several slabs were damaged.

Bengaluru: A social media post by a Canadian national has drawn attention to the poor condition of a footpath in Bengaluru’s Indiranagar and prompted the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) to undertake immediate repair work.

The incident concerns the footpath on 12th Main Road in Indiranagar, where portions of the pavement had reportedly collapsed and several slabs were damaged. A Canadian visitor filmed the condition of the footpath and posted the video on X around two days ago.

The video went viral, attracting considerable attention and criticism of Bengaluru’s civic administration. Social media users questioned the condition of the city’s roads and pedestrian infrastructure, while some criticised the GBA and Central City Corporation authorities for failing to address such basic problems.

Following the widespread reaction, civic officials and workers reached the location and began repair work. The damaged footpath was restored and broken slabs were reconstructed, with the work reportedly completed on a priority basis.

The swift action, however, has left several residents unhappy for a different reason. They questioned why civic complaints made by Bengaluru residents often take weeks, months or even years to receive attention, while a video posted by a foreign visitor resulted in immediate action.

Residents said damaged footpaths are a common sight in several parts of the city, forcing pedestrians to walk on roads and exposing them to traffic risks.

The Indiranagar episode has consequently become a larger discussion about the functioning of civic agencies and their response to public complaints. Citizens have urged the GBA to regularly inspect roads and footpaths instead of waiting for problems to become viral on social media.

They also stressed that Bengaluru’s infrastructure requires continuous maintenance, particularly as damaged pedestrian pathways affect senior citizens, children and daily commuters.

While the repair work on 12th Main Road has brought relief to pedestrians, residents hope the GBA will extend the same urgency to other damaged footpaths across the city.

The incident has also demonstrated how social media posts can rapidly bring civic problems into the public spotlight and compel authorities to respond.