From scent to stench...

From scent to stench...
Deccan Herald

It had the potential of being Bangalore’s answer to Mumbai’s breezy Marine Drive. But Gangadhar Chetty Street, that runs along Ulsoor Lake, seems to have run out of luck. What used to be a 1.5 km stretch of rose gardens two decades ago, has now become a parking lot, a public urinal, a garbage dump, a stinking street and an over-populated mosquito zone.

For the residents on this road, the picturesque names of their homes, like Lake Shore, Lake View and Lake Corner, sounds hollow. “Our apartment may be facing the lake, but what we see are clogged storm water drains, people urinating and cows wandering aimlessly on the road,” says Mr Unni of Lake Shore Manor. No cool breeze enters their home, he complains, for all windows are closed by evening to protect themselves from the stink and onslaught of mosquitoes.

The rest of Bangalore may be battling the stray dog problem, but in this posh locality, cows have turned into mischief-makers.

According to Jagadish, a supervisor in a private apartment, a child was killed two months ago on this road when a cow came in the middle of the road, making a car swerve and run over the girl. “It is dangerous to allow cows to roam around freely here. We have complained, but no one cares,” Jagadish says.

As if cows were not enough, speeding vehicles are posing further problems.

Dr Preeta, another resident, has been walking on crutches for the last four months, thanks to a rash driver. “My autorickshaw was hit by a speeding lorry right outside my house,” she reveals. Dr Preeta fractured her back in the incident. Her neighbour Nagabhushan, an old Bangalorean, suggests that speed breakers should be introduced on the road, especially because there are three schools in the vicinity. The road runs along RBNMS School, Maharani Primary School and National Children School.

“There are at least two-three near accidents involving students every week during school leaving time. We have written to the Traffic Police, but action is yet to be taken,” Nagabhushan says. The 30-feet wide pavement space along the storm water drain is neglected, with rundown footpaths and heaps of construction debris dumped on it.

“A few years ago, there used to be benches along this stretch where we used to sit and enjoy the view in the evening. Now nobody likes to walk on it. I don’t even like looking at the lake anymore,” rues Mr Unni.