Stones replace potholes here

Stones replace potholes here
Vijay Times

Want a challenging road to test your riding skills? T ry the 10 km stretch of Uttarahalli Main Road that connects Gowdanapalya with the Mysore Highway near Kengeri.

As the area is a fast developing one, thousands of people use this road on a daily basis. Despite this fact, the administration has made no effort to ensure that this road is well-maintained.

Though the area comes under the limits of Rajarajeshwari City Municipal Council, the road is believed to be maintained by the public works department. Even as one enters the area, the motorist is welcomed by potholes and jelly stones. The road, it seems, has not been asphalted for a long time. Though the road appears to be in reasonably good condition in certain areas, motorists require a considerable skill to negotiate most other parts of the stretch.

Adding to their woes are big stones that have been strategically placed in potholes by the authorities. If having to negotiate the potholes is one challenge, having to deal with such stones is another for the motorists. The net result is that traffic flow is affected. T Th he e r ro ol ll le er rc co oa as st te er The worst part of the stretch is at the junction, connecting the Uttarahalli Road with the Mysore Road.The stretch here has not been asphalted. As a result, the nearby park sports a red look. Thanks to the dust emerging from the stretch.

Chandrashekar , a driver from Gowdanapalya, said, The authorities concerned have turned a deaf ear to our requests for having it repaired." Shankar , a tailor , said,"The authorities, who filled the roads with jelly a year back, have still not bothered to asphalt them." Girish, a shopkeeper , said, "Dust is the main problem we face. When it rains, the situation worsens as dust turns into slush and the road becomes slippery ." Ashutosh, an engineer , said : "It is dangerous to ride on this stretch at night as the road does not have proper lighting. " When VT T tried to contact the authorities concerned, they were not available for comment.

EXPERT SPEAK

T raffic Exper ts and Safety T rainers (TEST) chairman M N Sreehari explained that a lot of developmental activities were taking place along the Uttarahalli Main Road. As a number of shops were present along the road, vehicles were being parked on the stretch. This, he claimed, was causing a problem and hindering the free flow of traffic. "There is no defined footpath along the Uttarahalli Main Road. This forces pedestrians to walk along the main road. The road is not well-maintained and is full of potholes. It requires a high-rise pedestrian footpath," he said.