MLA lends an ear but police arm-twist for hafta

MLA lends an ear but police arm-twist for hafta

Deccan Herald

Chickpet is a small area that is abuzz with activity at any time of the day. As a shopper’s delight, it has no parallel — even in Commercial Street or MG Road.
In many ways, it is the commercial hub of Bangalore for one simple reason — you can get anything, just about anything, here, from plastic to platinum.

With just over 85,000 voters, it is the smallest Assembly segment in Bangalore South Lok Sabha constituency. BJP MLA P C Mohan, voted to power for the second consecutive term, says most of the development projects taken up have only materialised because of large-scale protests he organised to fight for funds.

Perhaps that’s the reason he has a presence — residents feel they see him quite often, willing to lend an ear to grievances. Several felt they respond as soon as they call him.

But is lending an ear enough, when you rule over an area largely filled with traders and shoppers, comprising narrow streets and ever-flowing traffic? The narrow roads are narrowed down further by garbage that’s present at every junction.

Two-wheelers parked haphazardly speak of a complete neglect of putting together an effective system for a traders’ haunt such as this.

As one housewife, S N Manjula, put it: “Our children never get to play on the by-lanes, where there’s no traffic, purely because traders park everywhere.”

There is no sign of a footpath anywhere on the by-lanes and cross-roads. Even on the main BVK Iyengar Road, footpaths appear and disappear, seemingly at the whim of the contractor who executed the laying of pavements in the area.

“But we do see a difference in the area, compared to what it was a few years ago. For instance, the drainage on Old Tharagupet Road has been covered up. Earlier, we couldn’t even go near it because of the stench and mosquitoes, not to mention the swimming pools of sewage water around it. Some of the major roads have been re-laid with cement. We have borewells and public taps, so we have enough alternatives,” said a resident Purushottama Raju B.

But traders are not such a happy lot, particularly petty traders who set up stalls during Sunday bazaar.

Police personnel of two police stations in the vicinity are regular visitors, waiting to demand ‘hafta’ and willing to wield their lathis if a hawker tries to resist. “They (police officials) have no problem hitting us just for Rs 5 or Rs 10. Every Sunday, every official in Chickpet police station makes at least Rs 3,000 out of us poor hawkers. We are allowed to set up shop on this road on Sunday, it’s not against the law. But the authorities make it a point to harass us and fleece us of our small profit,” said a trader on condition of anonymity.

MOHAN’S CLAIM

Concrete roads laid for Cubbonpet Main Road, Sultanpet, Jumma Masjid Road and BVK Iyengar Road.

Multi-level parking opposite Abhinaya Theatre being constructed

One more parking lot to come up in Mamulpet.

Storm-water drain near Gundappa Street re-done.

Tarring of roads that are 6-8 ft wide will be taken up

Pavements of ‘concrete blocks’ laid last year are all broken up, as BMP didn’t coordinate with other civic agencies.

Pavements and roads dug up for laying underground cabling not filled up yet.

Public toilets will be built

Three urinals will be renovated; 3 more will be added on Chikpet Main Road.

BMP’s package projects for road repairs sanctioned in February is yet to take off; a protest against the delay will be staged.

Garbage clearance is done every night; but it’s a market area, so people dump garbage.

VOTERS’ VOICE

Rajesh Solanki, trader, the sanitation system has gone haywire. All the road-side tea shops insist on giving tea in plastic cups and people, including traders and shoppers, throw plastic all over.

Manohar, proprietor of a shop For an area which has such a large floating population, we have very few public toilets. There is none on BVK Iyengar Road.

G Geetha, resident, They have improved the roads to some extent, but improving the condition of the road does not mean the traffic condition is better.

C Shivashankar, driver, the MLA takes up development only before the elections. After that, he seems to forget us. What is the point in notifying so many one-ways?