KR Pura residents take to the streets over civic apathy

KR Pura residents take to the streets over civic apathy
A bundh call on Monday led to disruption of traffic for hours on the stretch connecting Airport Road and Old Madras Road.
Deccan Herald

The people’s movement against the apathy of civic authorities seems to be catching on. Barely a week after villagers in Anekal town went on a bundh to protest against the condition of roads in their area, on Monday it was the turn of hundreds of residents of KR Pura to give vent to their anger.

Fed up after repeated pleas to improve the condition of the drinking water supply, sanitation facilities and pothole ridden stretches of roads in their area failed to yield any results, the residents of Vignananagar, Vibhuthipura, Rameshnagar and surrounding areas within KR Pura City Municipal Council (CMC) limits decided their patience had been tested enough.

They staged demonstrations, shouted slogans against the civic authorities and blocked traffic for the better part of the day. It all began when a group of local residents in Basavanagar gave a bundh call at around 9 am to protest against the indifferent attitude of the CMC to their demands. The call spread like wild fire with the public responding spontaneously.

No vehicle was allowed to pass through the stretch connecting Airport Road and Old Madras Road, disrupting traffic for hours. Shops in Basavanagar, Talacauvery Layout and Reddy Colony remained closed till 2 pm. Even schools in the locality let off their students early.

Residents complained that repeated complaints to the CMC to improve the civic amenities in the area were to no avail. Three months ago, the residents had even threatened to stop paying taxes if their demand for improved facilities was not met. Even this threat had failed to wake up the authorities, the residents alleged.
The protesters withdrew their agitation only after K R Pura CMC Commissioner T Rajanna visited the spot and gave a written assurance that improvement work would commence from Tuesday.