‘Hate BCC campaign’ spreads to DJ Halli

‘Hate BCC campaign’ spreads to DJ Halli
New Indian Express

BANGALORE: Hundreds of residents from D J Halli Bangalore City Corporation (BCC) ward took to the streets on Monday, demanding repair of Tannery Road and civic amenities in the surrounding areas.

The protest was led by the Citizens Rights Protection Council (CRPC) and was staged before Dr. Ambedkar Circle on Tannery Road. It effectively blocked traffic for hours.

The two km stretch of the road has been in pathetic condition for over a year, creating problems for commuters and locals everyday. The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) has abandoned the road work after digging it up for laying pipes. Apart from the roads, the area also faced problems of disposal of wastes, leading to health problems.

Senior police officers rushed to the area in the morning to pacify the crowd and convinced them to allow traffic movement. However, when the BCC commissioner failed to arrive as demanded, an irate crowd again blocked the traffic till late afternoon.

Former MP Jaffer Sheriff heard the demands and directed the BCC deputy commissioner — East, Jayram, who arrived late in the afternoon, to take up works within seven days. However, speaking to this website's newspaper, Jayram said that BCC could start only after the BWSSB finishes work on UGD and drinking water in the locality.

The BWSSB would wrap up in one month. The BCC would take another three months to finish the road repair among other works in the area. A Rs. 80 lakh package for the DJ Halli ward was being processed, he assured.

Mayor P R Ramesh said that water works in the locality, which started nearly a year ago, suffered due to the code of conduct imposed during elections.

The budget allocation for the road works was arrived at after the elections and was planned to be taken up after the monsoon season.