Chaos, encroachments, underworld and an accessible MLA

Chaos, encroachments, underworld and an accessible MLA
Deccan Herald

Footpaths that leave you with barely a foot to walk, roads that you cross at your own risk and buses that stride down like kings. Confusion and chaos that has its own flavour; odours and buzz of noise that never seems to stop and the best of kababs and pani puris that you can eat, standing on the already-crowded footpath. The notorious rowdies of Silicon Valley. It can be nowhere else but Shivajinagar.
Yes, you actually need a miracle to bring order to Shivajinagar. Concerted efforts can definitely ease people’s miseries. But nothing much seems to have been done to ensure order. The shop-owners encroaching the pavements and narrow roads is unrestricted. Less said the better about the famous Russel market and the huge storm-water drain which passes through the area. Like their forefathers, the present generation also has to put up with the stench.

Apart from civic woes, residents and shop-owners have to live with a sense of fear, thanks to the thriving rowdyism in the area. The people complain that the people’s representatives have done nothing to check the underworld elements.
However, Shivajinagar is not the only area which comes under the Shivajinagar assembly constituency, the smallest constituency in Karnataka. It comprises Sampangiramnagar (S R Nagar) and Vasanthnagar wards. Here, you don’t need a miracle. All you need is well intended efforts to make citizen’s life easier.

Many problems of Shivajinagar also persist in Vasanthnagar and S R Nagar too. The roads and pavements here are used to dump debris and construction material, thus hindering pedestrians and vehicular movement. Encroachment does not seem to be illegal for many in these areas. Like the footpath opposite CSI Hospital that has been converted to house several huts; or the pavement on Venkateshwara Temple road that is fenced to grow plants.

However, people in this constituency have no complaints about one thing - accessibility of their legislator Katta Subramanya Naidu, a second time MLA. Mr Naidu, who is also called as a ‘glorified corporator’ by his critics, has kept good contact with his voters. He conducts ‘padayatras’ frequently with several messages such as clean environment. “Mr Naidu is always available to us, but so is chaos. He should do something to ease these problems,” says Mr Anwar, who is living in the area for nearly 60 years.

The MLA agrees that there are several problems, but quickly adds that a lot has changed during his tenure compared to what the circumstances were, six years ago. He attributes the slow pace of change to “indiscipline” among people, “indifferent” attitude of officials and poorly-planned old areas.

“Traffic is the main problem here. The new one-ways introduced in the central parts of the constituency like on Queen’s road, Cunningham Road, Infantry Road and Miller’s Road have compounded the problems,” he adds. The residents’ woes, especially in the Shivajinagar area, don’t seem as if they will end soon. And they are not too hopeful either!


VOTERS’ VOICE
Mohan, Vasanthnagar 6th Main: The MLA is accessible. Roads have improved slightly in the last six months. The problem here is of congestion, haphazard parking, roadside vendors and strewn garbage.

Ramesh, Cook, Shivajinagar: The legislator is accessible, but he is not of much help. The vendors and shop owners have occupied more than half of the roads. The police or BMP is doing nothing about this.

Imran, shop owner, OPH Road, Shivajinagar: Many areas are in a pathetic condition. Traffic jam due to encroachments by vendors is a perennial problem. Flooding is another problem during rainy season.

Suresh, Sampangiramnagar: There are no major problems in SR Nagar. Mr Naidu is accessible to us and has also done some good work in the area.

NAIDU’S NOTE
*Solved drinking water problem in 16 cross roads of Sampangiramanagar by laying nine inch water pipes from Vittal Mallya Road to S R Nagar I Cross at a cost of Rs 25 lakh.
*Using own tractors for cleaning garbage in different parts of the constituency.
*Laid cement roads in Cubbonpet.
*Felicitated senior citizens and provided scholarships to students during Independence Day celebrations in S R Nagar.
*Completed the Railway Under Bridge (RUB) work in Madhavanagar, taken up works pertaining to RUB in Cantonment.
*Taken up construction of new market at Vasanthnagar.
*Shivajinagar playground to be developed at a cost of Rs 5.5 crore.
*Footpaths and drains remodelled in Vasanthnagar 7th cross.
*Celebrated Kannada Rajyotsava in Tasker Town, felicitated senior citizens.
*Conducted free health camp at the BMP School in Tasker Town under the aegis of the Katta Health Foundation.