Even IT couldn’t save woeful Whitefield

Even IT couldn’t save woeful Whitefield
The Times of india

Bangalore: Whitefield is facing a surfeit of civic problems — from poor lighting to encroachment. Most residents say that despite the presence of the biggest and most sophisticated IT unit in ITPL, the state of the roads leading to Whitefield have just not improved. “We have the best IT facility. But are the roads good enough?’’ asks Rahul, a resident.

Much of the Whitefield area which comes under Mahadevapura CMC does not have a quality road network despite the presence of many industries. Street lighting is also poor compounding the problem of bad roads, says Brigadier K K Sood.

Sood also points out that there is a serious water shortage in much of the CMC area. “So many of us have paid and continue to pay water cess. But where is the Cauvery water promised to us?’’ he asked adding that garbage dumping is a major problem with much of the brunt being taken by Varthur lake.

According to Mahadevapura CMC commissioner M A Baig, tenders have been invited to asphalt roads and the deposit paid to BWSSB to get connections. “Water pipelines are being laid. Work is going on and is time-bound. As for garbage, we have implemented door-to-door delivery for the last three months. The lake is also being cleaned.’’

Sood and some of his friends are also facing encroachment problems on their plots of land. The lands were purchased 15 years ago and have been registered as sites in square feet by the CMC though the land is recorded as guntas in village records.

The Cherry Dale Residents Association, whose members bought the land, say that a whole range of homes coming up next to the land is bringing a lot of construction garbage on to the plots.

“Construction material is being dumped on the plots. Despite lodging complaints with the authorities, no action has been taken,” says Harpreet Singh.
Is some parts of Cherry Dale area of Whitefield, illegal temporary slums have come up apart from the brick factory which is making its way to the place.

The problem of encroachment is widespread in Whitefield with many areas of Mahadevapura being occupied by people building houses or by construction material itself. “The first thing that comes to mind in Whitefield is sand, bricks and hutments. Wherever you go, construction is being carried out. Who will regulate what they do? Even ITPL has not made a difference,’’ says Sudheer, a resident.

CMC CHIEF SPEAKS

Wherever there is encroachment, our engineers have acted and levied fines. We have asked BCIL to put construction material on their own land. They have also told us they are not encroaching on Cherry Dale residents’ sites. But we will examine the situation and act accordingly. — M A Baig

THE PROBLEMS

Residents cite the following problems in Whitefield.

• Bad roads

• Poor lighting

• Haphazard dumping of construction materials

• Encroachment

• Water shortage

• Waste deposit

• Illegal slums