Warning: Stay away from MG Road this weekend.

Mud, stones and mess again on MG Road

Deccan Herald


Warning: Stay away from MG Road this weekend.

In a City that has been ‘dug’ to death, the latest muddy mess lies on MG Road. Its footpath width of eight-odd feet has been reduced to a measly two feet, and it’s likely to remain that way for the next few days.

Bescom has dug the footpath from Brigade Road junction to Arya Bhavan for laying of power cables. The work is expected to be completed within a week. Till then, this overcrowded footpath will see pedestrians jostling for space.


On a hot Friday afternoon, footpath users spilled on to the main street, triggering traffic snarls. Finding car parking space turned out to be the next woe, with many opting for double parking as the road side was strewn with cable wires. The situation worsened in the evening, as employees of local offices made an exit and strollers and shoppers made an entry.

Digging directly affects retailers, big or small, as shoppers are dissuaded from trekking down the dug road. The number of walk-in customers have reduced by 30 per cent, informed Ashok Kumar, manager of Food World. “The digging work was a complete surprise, we were not even intimated in advance. They have not left any walking space outside our store,” Kumar rued. “We are not getting enough room to display our goods. Also, there are not many people coming by because of the confusion,” added Ramesh, a road-side bookseller.

Bescom has laid power cables across 300 km in the City in the last three months. “Bescom will be responsible for restoration work too, that should be completed within 48 hours after the laying of cables,” revealed BMP Chief Engineer (East) Kareem Ullah Khan.

Authority speaks

Digging and filling is steadily becoming a permanent feature on MG Road. The crowded road has survived three digging works since January. Only two months ago, an Optic Fiber Cable company had dug up the same stretch to lay cables. This was closely followed by pavement repair work by the BMP. And now, the digging has resumed. However, BMP officials feel the public should not complain.

“We cannot keep our own repair work on hold because other agencies want to lay cables. We receive requests from agencies like Bescom, BSNL, Bharti and Reliance frequently, which we must permit. The public demands 24-hour electricity, cable connections and internet access. For that, they must be willing to suffer inconvenience,” said N Ramegowda, Engineer-in-chief of BMP.