The Greater Bengaluru Authority repaired damaged stretches in Indiranagar after Canadian influencer Caleb Friesen posted about potholes and broken footpaths. Residents questioned why their repeated complaints had not prompted a similar response.
Canadian influencer Caleb Friesen posted on social media about conditions on 12th Main in Indiranagar, an area with start-ups and venture-capital firms. The Hindu’s account says his video showed rubble, broken or missing footpath slabs, large potholes and trees used as garbage bins. Friesen contrasted the area’s major investment with its neglected pedestrian infrastructure, describing the conditions as unacceptable and frustrating for visitors who come to meet company founders.
A day after the video went viral, the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) posted its own video showing the same stretch after repairs. The quick response drew a backlash from residents who asked why their repeated complaints had not led to action before an influencer highlighted the problem. Some also questioned whether the work amounted to a proper repair, saying damaged sections appeared to have been filled with concrete rather than restored as a walkable footpath.
This was not the first time Friesen’s posts had prompted a civic response. In September 2025, he posted about broken footpaths and poor conditions around Majestic. The following day, a Walkaluru team and then Central Corporation Commissioner P. Rajendra Cholan visited. The report said they cleaned the area and even sat down to eat on the footpath to draw attention to its cleanliness.
The GBA’s follow-up video featured Arun Pai of Walkaluru walking along 12th Main and pointing out the repaired sections. Residents said the response made it seem that their own repeated reports had carried less weight. They argued that an ironic video by a foreigner should not have been necessary to get the city to fix a broken footpath.