The city’s bad roads, potholes, and rains have taken their toll not just on citizens, but on their vehicles as well. Automobile service and repair centres have been flooded with a steady number of complaints almost daily about water entering engines, electrical parts not functioning or vehicles suffering serious damage after motorists lose balance encountering potholes.
Babu, who owns a two-wheeler repair and service shop in Bommanahalli, said the number of such complaints had shot up since a month, with at least three vehicles being brought in each day. “The number of vehicles coming in for repairs is at least 5% more than usual. Some come with damaged parts after they fall due to a pothole or a bad stretch of road,” he said.
Mohammad Nayeem, owner of a service centre in Banashankari, which also caters to high-end bikes, said they are getting 10 to 15 cases every day. “Most of them are related to water entering the engine or carburettor or of some wiring getting burnt. Last week, we also had a case of a vehicle getting damaged after falling because of a pothole. Due to the force with which the vehicle falls, the fork gets damaged,” he said, adding that the rate for repair varies from vehicle-to-vehicle. “For a regular scooter, it could cost ₹8,000 for these problems. For a high-end one, it could cost ₹20,000 or so,” he said.
Though two-wheelers bear the brunt of bad roads, potholes, and water-logging, four-wheelers have mostly been impacted due to the water levels.
Suresh R. Bhat, general manager (service) of an authorised dealer for a well-known car brand, said the number of vehicles being brought in for repairs had seen a three-fold increase since August. “We categorise them on three levels: up to tyre level, bonnet level and completely drowned. There are different repair instructions for each category. Since August, in our 12 outlets, we have had around 30 cars that were completely submerged, 20 that were drowned up to the bonnet, and over 50 cars in which water was up to the seat level," he said.
