City authorities wake up to road shrink

City authorities finally wake up to road shrink
The BMP had desisted from clearing encroachments citing absence of records.
Deccan Herald

The narrow, almost unmotorable road condition and the harrowing traffic jams along the road leading from Old Madras Road to Varthur via C V Raman Nagar and Kaggadasapura is likely to get some attention from the authorities shortly.

In view of claims and counter claims of encroachments made by some residents, the traffic police, the circle inspector and engineers of the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike have decided to hold a joint inspection of the area. A decision in this regard was taken at a meeting called in the office of RTO East (Indiranagar) after repeated pleas were made by the area residents under the aegis of the People’s Welfare Association (PWA).

For long (from 1975 to 1995) the said road was maintained by the Public Works Department as a major district road (MDR). The adjoining land on either side of the road was then largely used for agriculture. In 1995, the road maintenance was transferred partly to BMP (C V Raman Nagar-Ward No 83) and partly to K R Puram CMC.

Being a MDR whose specifications are that there shall be no constructions within a radius of 25 mts and 30 mts from the road centre in village and town limits respectively, the BMP and the CMC were directed by the PWD to maintain the same.

That however remained a mere direction. Numerous constructions both business oriented and residential layouts cropped up along the stretch. It also meant the blocking of water courses in the area (the Rajakaluves) leading to Kaggadasapura Tank via Benneganahalli Tank.

What remains of the road that once measured near about 100 ft, is just about 18 ft or so. Water logging and floods are invariably the fallout during rains.

It is understood that the High Court had in 1997 after hearing a complaint filed by the PWA directed the PWD to clear the encroachments and the PWD’s subsequent directions to the BMP and CMC was not acted upon. According to the PWA, the High Court had in its order identified as many as 94 fenced encroachments in the area.

The BMP is learnt to have desisted from clearing the encroachments on the explanation that there are no proper records specifying the original width of the road, and as such it was difficult to identify the encroachments. According to sources at the office of RTO, Indiranagar, it was also decided at the meeting held recently that the BMP will seek the said details if any from the Land Records Department.

It may be clarified here that the transport department was neither a party nor a respondent in the legal battle on encroachments. But the assessment made by the transport department as part of its regular functions, has found that widening the said road is essential in view of the heavy density of the traffic it bears, sources said.