Problems plague this booming business hub

Problems plague this booming business hub
The Times of India

Bangalore: Mysore Road may be a hub of commercial activity but booming business has a flip-side to it: heavy traffic, damaged footpaths and encroached space.

Says T V Shruthi, a Mysore Road regular, “Traffic jams occur often and the road is also in a bad shape. It’s often risky taking a U-turn from Mysore Road to Sirsi Circle. Vehicles from different directions pass by this way and it’s an accident-prone zone. The road also faces high pollution levels.’’

The DCP west (traffic) Rama Subba admits that many factors have been neglected on this road. “Pedestrian crossings, scientific humps, barricading of footpaths are required. Sufficient staff is needed to regulate the traffic, both during the day and night. Also, during rain, Mysore Road, Ring Road Junction and Rajarajeshwarinagar arch are badly flooded, obstructing free movement of vehicles.’’

The condition of footpaths is also a big concern. They have dangerous pits with missing stone slabs, and unauthorised encroachments by road-side vendors. Even two-wheelers as well as four-wheelers are parked on them.
Added to this are the heaps of filth strewn in every dump located every 100 yards, causing an unbearable stink.

The road falls under the purview of Rajarajeshwarinagar CMC. But due to the paucity of funds some works including drain remodelling has fallen upon the BMP. Officials and engineers explain that tenders are under process for asphalting and repairing the foot-path.

The project division of BMP is tackling the desilting of storm water drains including the primary one at Vrishabhavati Valley, which passes in and around Gaali Anjaneya Swamy temple ward, Bapujinagar, Azadnagar and Chandra Layout. Ward engineers are setting right interior roads and footpath drains. A proposed flyover from Sirsi Circle to Bangalore University Gate is also on the anvil to ease traffic congestion.

What’s wrong : Encroachments on tank beds is the biggest problem at Mysore Road. Stay orders have been procured whenever authorities have gone for demolitions.

n Garbage clearance is not done regularly n Foot-paths are in a haphazard condition n Traffic chaos is a perennial problem.

MLASPEAK: V SOMANNA

Tenders are given for fast completion of work. But the contractors don’t complete it on time. The BCC has no control over them and doesn’t monitor their work.There is discrimination between regular work and project work as far as making payments is concerned. If quality development work has to take place the responsibilities should be shared equally, right from the junior engineer to the executive engineer level.