Basic amenities a far cry here

Basic amenities a far cry here
Traffic Chaos, Irregular Power, Inadequate Water Mark Residents’Woes
The Times of India

Bangalore: The growth of any area depends on political will, leadership and inter-department co-ordination. Residents of Benson Town, however, feel deprived of this.
“There is no convergence of service providers like BDA, BWSSB, Bescom, BMP and other departments to put the system in place by providing basic civic amenities in this area. There is no active participation and interaction by our elected representatives with their constituency members. They have no rapport with people,” rued P Robert, a resident.
People are fed up of problems arising from inadequate water supply and erratic power supply. “Cauvery water is provided on alternate days for 2 to 3 hours. It’s extended for few more hours only if the officials are bribed. The so-called free water tanks of BWSSB collect a minimum of Rs 350 on every visit. The bore wells are also drying up. The situation is worse during summer. The BMP workers also demand up to Rs 100 per month for garbage clearance. When we ask for receipts of the amount paid none of them give it citing it’s not necessary,” complained residents.
Frequent power cuts without prior notice is also a major problem here. “The
24-hour emergency service provided by Bescom is just a namesake. No one receives calls after 7 pm. The telephone keeps ringing constantly but nobody responds,” added Robert.
Like many areas in Bangalore, Benson Town also suffers from traffic chaos. “The one-ways operating in many roads is a big nuisance. It has certainly not helped in easing traffic flow. We are forced to cover extra km which is time consuming,” complained commuters.
Women, children and the eldery feel insecure due to poor lighting in some streets. The absence of foot paths and zebra crossing in some places also call for attention. High levels of noise pollution too plagues the area.
CORPORATOR SPEAK
“I am not aware of any money being collected by either officials or workers for services that are provided free of cost to people.There is no problem with water and power supply in Benson Town. Rs 45 lakh has been sanctioned for constructing footpaths. Tender worth Rs 50 lakh is under process for asphalting roads. The work is getting delayed due to objections raised time and again while processing the tenders.” — C S SURYAKANTH RAO