Old Couple in Hyderabad Spends Pension Money to Repair Potholes

The Katnam's have repaired more than 2,000 potholes in the last 11 years, and spent about Rs 40 lakh.

Hyderabad couple with their pothole ambulance.

(Photo Courtesy: Twitter/@anitachauhan_80)

Gangadhar Tilak Katnam, a 73-year-old man, along with his wife, 64-year-old Venkateshwari Katnam, has set out on a unique mission. To help save lives in Hyderabad, they have shelled out money from their own pensions to repair the potholes in their area.

Donned with all the equipment to fix the potholes, the couple sets out in their car, called the 'pothole ambulance' and fix potholes wherever they see them.

In a statement to ANI, Gangadhar said, "After witnessing several accidents on the roads because of potholes I decided to do something about the issue and find a solution to it."

He even said he tried to contact authorities about the issue and find a solution to it. "Initially, I tried to complain about the issue with the police and the municipality officials but none of it was of any use. That is when I decided to fill the potholes by myself."

A retired employee of the Indian Railways, Gangadhar started working in a software company after 35 years of service. Since then, he has also been filling potholes.

"I am managing the finances of this initiative from the pension that I receive. All the material that is required for the task is bought using money from my pension. For the last 11 years, I was able to fill nearly about 2,030 potholes in and across the city and spent about Rs. 40 lakh on it," he said in a statement to Economic Times.