Padmanabhanagar fed up with drains, dogs

Padmanabhanagar fed up with drains, dogs
PADMANABHANAGAR
The Times of India

Bangalore: On the surface, the locality looks like a peaceful residential area. It’s definitely a pleasant surprise to see most of the roads in good condition but there are cracks in the picture. In the interior areas like Chikkalsandra, Gowdanpalya, there are road and drainage difficulties. The roads are very narrow and have never seen tar.

Padmanabhanagar — the area which people easily identify with the Deve Gowda petrol bunk — includes Chikkalsandra, Hanumagiri, Kadirenahalli, Gururaja Layout, Gowdanpalya, Rajivnagara and Raghavendra Layout. The total population is 1.65 lakh and the area falls under ward 55 of the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP).

There are no bus shelters in the area. People waiting for the bus usually stand on the road thereby blocking traffic. As the area is a little hilly, many circles have been formed. But lack of traffic signals and constables makes it an accident- and traffic jam-prone area.

Shivakumar, a BMP worker, says: “Many accidents occur in front of our office as there is no signal. Also, lack of a bus shelter is a nuisance.”

Another problem people face is the wall of the BMP office is being used as a urinal due to non-availability of toilets. According to Sudha, a tailoring teacher, “The BMP office is the final stop for buses. The drivers and conductors use the wall of the office to urinate on. The stench is awful. We fear our students might fall ill in these conditions. Another nuisance are stray dogs. Motorists and pedestrians find it risky to travel/walk in the area in the late evening hours as packs of dogs chase after them. “The dogs roam in packs and sometimes attack us. After complaining to officials, they were carted away for operation and then were brought back. This is becoming a big headache,’’ complained Pushpa, a resident.

Mushrooming of bars has also become a hazard for the residents. Women don’t like to walk past the bars for fear of drunken men misbehaving with them. “Almost every road has a bar. It’s really difficult for girls to walk by. The BMP and police must do something to curb this menace. Why can’t the authorities restrict the bar licence?’’ asked Sowyma, a student.

Like other areas, Padmanabhanagar too has problems with drains. A huge drain runs through Hanumagiri. During the monsoon, the drains get clogged and sewage flows into peoples’ houses.

Though the BMP got the drain silted, the workers left the mounds of silt uncleared on either side of the drain. The silt is not only getting back into the drain, but is also polluting the vicinity with its foul smell.