Bengaluru: Potholes and craters have become routine on Bengaluru’s roads. But the latest shocker is something far more unusual: natural tunnels.A stretch of Kanteerava Studio Road in the western part of the city turned into an unlikely spectacle after a television channel reporter climbed into a mini-tunnel that had opened up in the middle of the road following two days of heavy rain.With nowhere for the rainwater to drain, the gushing flow ripped open the carriageway and burrowed beneath the road surface as it made its way towards a manhole, effectively creating a tunnel under the road.A video showing motorists carefully navigating around the bizarre cavity soon went viral, drawing fresh attention to the shocking condition of Bengaluru’s roads. Netizens and opposition parties joined the fray, with political leaders taking aim at the state govt over the city’s crumbling infrastructure.As motorists slowed down, swerved and squeezed past the gaping cavity to avoid accidents, officials moved in with a quick fix. The mini-tunnel was filled with broken concrete blocks and construction debris.When TOI visited the spot Tuesday evening, the filling work was still under way.For motorists using the stretch, the collapse was less a surprise than the latest chapter in years of neglect.“This did not happen overnight. The road has been in bad shape for years, and the rains only made things worse,” said Deepak Gowda, a regular commuter. “The pothole was visible as early as Monday, but after the heavy rain, it became much deeper. It was shocking.”Kanteerava Studio Road is an important link between residential neighbourhoods and the Peenya and Yeshwanthpur industrial belts, carrying significant traffic every day. Residents allege that several portions of the road began deteriorating after different utilities dug up the stretch and failed to properly restore it.Shwetha R, who travels to Nagarbhavi daily for work, said the road remains a problem throughout the year. “When the weather is dry, the stretch is extremely dusty. During the rains, motorists cannot even judge the depth of the potholes. Filling them with construction debris is not a solution — it only creates another uneven surface,” she said.Naveen Kumara M, a resident of Kamakshipalya who regularly uses the stretch on his two-wheeler, said commuters have been forced to endure the poor road condition for far too long.“This is a major access road to the Peenya industrial area. Thousands of people use it every day, yet the road looks abandoned. People keep asking what it will take for the authorities to asphalt even this short stretch,” he said.Gowda, another regular commuter, said he was now tired of repeatedly raising the issue. “I am tired of even complaining about this stretch. It is just irritating. Look at that pothole. Are we even living in Bengaluru? I have been escalating the matter from the corporation to the CM and the chief secretary. Forget normal two-wheelers and cars — not even off-roading vehicles can survive this stretch. We are absolutely sick of it,” he said.Several commuters told TOI that some motorists have begun taking longer alternative routes to avoid the damaged corridor. Residents said the latest pothole may have been filled temporarily, but the larger problem remains: the continued deterioration of the less-than-one-kilometre stretch between Surana College and Nandini Layout.Bengaluru West City Corporation commissioner Rajendra KV said funds for the project had already been approved under the Special Infrastructure Project and that the civic body was preparing to take up the asphalting work.“We were almost ready to start the asphalting when B-Smile (Bengaluru Smart Infrastructure Limited) intervened, saying it would take up the road for whitetopping. However, following today’s incident, we have told B-Smile to take up the whitetopping after three to four years, while we will proceed with asphalting now. Once the rains subside, we will take up the asphalting work at the earliest,” he said.B-Smile director (technical) BS Prahlad did not respond to calls or messages from TOI.