Gaurav Sen’s Pothole Reporter detects road damage, links it to public contract records and prepares an email complaint for the relevant civic authority.
Software engineer Gaurav Sen has developed Pothole Reporter, an app designed to detect potholes from images captured by a vehicle and prepare complaints for civic authorities. Sen, founder of AIEngg, told The Hindu that the app can photograph roads one image at a time or scan continuously in a “Drive” mode.
A vision model checks each frame for potholes. The app then uses location data to identify the responsible municipal body and searches public road-contract records for a likely contractor and tender number. It assembles the location, image, estimated dimensions and contract information into an email addressed to the relevant municipal commissioner.
The Hindu reported on October 6 that an Android beta had opened to the public after starting on Google Play’s testing track on September 21 with about 200 testers. Sen said the app had recorded 100 complaints since August, shared with commissioners for Bengaluru’s South, North and Central city corporations.
The reports are not yet sent directly into the city’s grievance system. Sen said the Integrated Command and Control Centre requested a demonstration, which took place on August 24. At a Greater Bengaluru Authority consultation on the Sahaaya 3.0 civic portal on September 9, he requested API access. Without an API, the app can currently draft an email, and direct integration remains a planned step.
The Indian Express described the same project on September 30 and reported that the app uses public tender data to identify contractors. Its earlier account said Sen was still seeking approval for an Android release, while The Hindu’s later report says the testing-track beta was subsequently made available to the public.
Sen is also discussing a possible combination with NammaKasa, an AI-based tool created by Jyothish VM to report garbage hotspots. He told The Hindu that requests to use Pothole Reporter had come from West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Bihar, though integration with state systems would be needed for wider civic use.