Area upmarket, roads pathetic

Area upmarket, roads pathetic
Why Does Our Area Lack Good Infrastructure, Ask Residents of Vittal Mallya & Lavelle Roads
The Times of India

Bangalore: For the residents of Vittal Mallya Road and Lavelle Road, the delightful early morning jog to Cubbon Park has now turned into a bumpy ride with an array of uneven pavements and uncovered holes to brave.
It is ironical that the up-market colony of Bangalore, which commands the highest real market price - more than Rs 12,000 per sq ft, is crying out for better infrastructure.
There is no sign of roads or a coat of bitumen on this stretch. The apathy of civic authorities and the up-coming constructions on the stretch has worsened the condition further.
“There is no surface on the road opposite old Tiffany’s and the pavement on one side of the road has disappeared. Loose mud on the sides of the road make it dangerous for two-wheelers,” explained Mallya Road resident R K Sawahney. The stretch from Walton Road has huge potholes. Illegal parking on both sides of Walton
and Lavelle Road has resulted in narrowing down the available commuting space, he added.
The residents are keen to know why Walton Road and the lower half of Vittal Mallya Road have not been tarred when the upper half of Vittal Mallya Road, St Mark’s Road and other roads in the vicinity have been asphalted.
It is not just the roads that’s upset the residents. Chaotic traffic on Mallya and Lavelle Road stretch is proving to be a sore thumb. “There is absolutely no traffic management. The vehicles come to a standstill between 4 pm and 6.30 pm at the junction of Vittal Mallya Road and Lavelle Road.
The bumper-to-bumper traffic is further compounded by vehicles taking a sharp right turn at the left side of the road to enter the petrol pump,” explained Manohar, who has been staying in the area for more than a decade.
Residents also put the blame on various highend construction projects that are coming up in the area — including two seven-star hotels, hitech corporate city and 170 floor service apartments. “Once the buildings come up, it will add at least 6,000 vehicles, stifling the already congested roads. The monsoon will only worsen the situation,” added Garden Apartment resident Purshottam.
“The Lavelle and Vittal Mallya Roads cannot simply take that huge volume of traffic and we hope the authorities realise that. We have written to the corporation, commissioner but the response has not been positive,” he added.
Builders take up the cause
The Prestige Group, which is constructing the UB City on Vittal Mallya Road, has submitted a proposal to the BBMP to broaden and completely redo the stretch from Kasturba Road junction to Lavelle Road junction at its own cost.
Prestige Group chairman Irfan Razack said the idea is to do up the road and pavement at international standards, with granite and cobblestones. The plan is also to create a storm water drain and ducts, so that the road would not have to be ever dug up.
The UB City has left enough land on its side to broaden the road. “We are also keen to work with the traffic department to manage the traffic on the road,” Razack said. The worry is that once the massive UB City becomes fully functional — expected by early next year — the traffic flow in the area would increase manifold.
“We are hopeful that the proposal to the BBMP will be given the OK soon,” Razack said.
(With inputs from Sujit John)
RESIDENTS OFFER SOLUTIONS
An urgent meeting should be held between civic authorities and traffic police, developers and residents to address the problem before it assumes draconian proportion.
Deploy a traffic policeman at Mallya Road-Lavelle Road junction.
The authorities should ensure that vehicles are not being parked on both sides of Walton and Lavelle Roads.
The entrance to the huge up-coming entertainment complex adjacent to the petrol pump be made one-way.