CM’s visit causes more bottlenecks

CM’s visit causes more bottlenecks
New Indian Express

BANGALORE: If anything, the chief minister’s visit to water-logged areas of the city on Wednesday added to the existing traffic bottlenecks.

Carefully avoiding interaction with those severely affected by the rains in Puttenhalli, K R Puram, Kamalanagar and Bande slum, the CM’s huge convoy of over 20 vehicles consisting of the Deputy chief minister, three ministers and the heads of civic agencies made brief stops at the Silk board junction, HSR Layout and Ulsoor Lake.

The CM’s sudden decision to visit flooded areas of the city came more as an afterthought.

With his coalition partner and JD(S) supremo Deve Gowda going on his own visit to flooded areas and other MLAs and MPs doing the same, the CM announced late in the afternoon after a review meeting with ministers that he would go on visit.

The high profile visit, however, did more harm than good as commuters in Madivala, Audugodi, Koramangala and other junctions on Hosur Road, who are yet to recover from the previous night’s deluge and resulting traffic chaos, were further harassed.

Vehicles piled up in huge numbers in these areas between 4 PM and 6 PM as angry commuters waited helplessly for the convoy to pass by.

At the Silk board junction where commuters had to wade through four feet of water on Tuesday, there was still about one feet of water.

Military men continued to clear the drains at HSR Layout, while in Ulsoor Lake, sandbags were replacing collapsed portions of the parapet.