Residents turn new footpaths into parking lots

Residents turn new footpaths into parking lots
Deccan Herald

Bad roads and rundown pavements? Don’t blame the BMP alone, you should feel guilty too....

Bad roads and rundown pavements? Don’t blame the BMP alone, you should feel guilty too.

When an inspection team, comprising BMP Commissioner K Jothiramalingam, Karnataka Land Army Corporation (KLAC) Joint Director Venkatesh Murthy and IT industry representative R K Misra visited the 19 roads undertaken by KLAC for upgradation on Thursday, it found that the ‘newly-laid’ pavements did not look ‘new’. Why? Because in many places, the residents had already undone all the good work within a week.

The team found that no sooner were the pavements laid, the residents used it as a parking lot. A luxury van that was parked on a newly-laid footpath on Airport Road, was punctured by the BMP engineers. Several two-wheelers were also found parked on the footpath. A lifestyle boutique had stored loads of sand on the new pavement on the upmarket 12th Main in Indiranagar, obstructing pedestrian movement. It took a verbal duel before the owner agreed to remove it.

In several places, builders had used the pavements as dumping yards. Garbage had piled up in cemented tree enclosures on Airport Road. As a frustrated BMP official put it: “We do all the work, the public spoils it, and then we get all the blame. Improving the city is a thankless job.”

Progress satisfactory

Meanwhile, the team, following the inspection, said they were “satisfied” with the progress. While road asphalting work is still pending, repair of footpaths are moving on in full swing. Labourers were found laying and concreting footpaths on Airport Road, Jeevanbimanagar, Indiranagar and Koramangala.

A new alternative route was mooted connecting Kodihalli at HAL III Stage to Airport Road. This road will provide easy access to 80 Feet Road in Indiranagar and Old Madras Road.

Road widening

The 4.8 km long Suranjan Das Road connecting HAL-Marathahalli Road to Old Madras Road will also be widened into a four-lane, revealed Mr Jothiramalingam.