Residents in Raipur, India, name potholes after politicians

The potholes in the Indian city of Raipur are so big that angry locals are conducting ceremonies to name them after prominent officials in a bid to draw attention to the poor condition of the roads.

Hindu priests in the capital of poverty-stricken, lawless Chhattisgarh state have so far performed rituals naming three of the biggest holes after the chief minister of the state as well as the ministers for housing and public works, said The Times of India.

Even in India's wealthier states, corruption and bureaucratic inefficiency mean roads are often left unrepaired. The situation is particularly bad after the monsoon rains.

This year's monsoon, now in its last days, has been particularly long and heavy. This is good for farmers, but bad for road users.

Satyawan Gupta, a businessman in Raipur, said his 20-mile commute to his factory was torture. "During the monsoons, it is impossible to gauge how deep a pothole is as the roads are under deep water," he said.

"It is so dangerous at times. If there is one place that deserves to be named after our politicians, it is the potholes of Raipur."