Palike has only dumped mud on damaged road
Residents of Manjunath Nagar, along Magadi Road area, are unhappy with the BBMP because it has not acted on their complaints over potholes.
People living in the area or running their businesses there are afraid they will trip over the potholes and fall.
Shivaprakash Narasingsa, who runs a tailoring shop, informed The Observer: “From the time that I have been in this area, there has been no improvement of the roads. After the BBMP installed a water pipe in the middle of the road, no person from the civic body has bothered to cover the pit. Most of the time, it is the Bengaluru Traffic Police that helps the locals.”
Shiva Prasad, a shopkeeper, said: “Several people have complained to the BBMP over the damage. People find it difficult to drive their vehicles through. A BBMP official visited the area to cover the damaged area with mud, but the situation has not improved. Because of the potholes, accidents are common”, he added.
Rains have created a more problematic situation for people of the area. Gangadhar Merwade, a tailor, said: “The level of water was up to 2 feet. There is no outlet for the water. Even though the issue is grave, and accidents keep happening in the area due to potholes, the civic body has taken no notice of the problem.”
Shivakumar, a bag seller, said: “After the rains, the BBMP has only visited once, not to fill up the potholes, but to clear water from the roads.”
Potholes in the middle of the main road area of Magadi Road.
People residing in the area compare the works of the previous and the present MLAs.
K. Bharath, a mobile shop owner, explained: “When V. Somanna was the MLA of the area, there were no signs of damage on the roads. Ever since M. Krishnappa came in, he observed the area only once and has not taken any step to resolve the problem. We need the BBMP and other authorities to help us get rid of this menace.”
Asked about the problem, traffic constable Srinivasa G said: “I have personally complained on behalf of the citizens to the BBMP, but the issue has not been resolved.”
B.S Prahallad, BBMP Chief Engineer, Road Infrastructure, said: “The BBMP has hired batch mix plants that would work simultaneously to resolve the pothole situation. Owing to unprecedented rain, we are unable to fill every pothole because the weather is not conducive. So we are trying to implement the idea of wet mix and cement so that it stays across all weather.
“Even if the installation of pipes and cable wires cannot be avoided, we will try to reach out to people who have complained. We get complaints even from local MLAs over potholes, but there are certain protocols due to which depressions over the roads cannot be avoided. We admit that the civic body needs to work towards improving the situation, but we need to strike a balance between procuring utilities and maintaining good roads.”
During an inspection, BBMP commissioner Tushar Giri Nath found that of the 4,500 potholes identified for filling up, 1,500 potholes are yet to be filled. Even though the Karnataka High Court ordered the BBMP to repair roads, potholes continue to create a dangerous situation for people.
Email ID : janani.s@iijnm.org
