Business hub sans infrastructure

Business hub sans infrastructure
Chikpet is one of a few localities of Bangalore City which have history of centuries. Today, it stands one among the poorly planned localities of the city. The area is a business hub, but has poor infrastructure.


The area is a mix of both commercial and residential establishments. Property owners run a shop in the ground floor and live in second and third floors.

A large number of buildings in the area were constructed much before Bangalore Development Authority or Bangalore Mahanagara Palike were formed. Plans have been thrown to winds and sufficient space has been left for improving the infrastructure in the area. The roads, at most, can be called lanes; and at many places boards block the movement of vehicles.

Forget riding a two-wheeler, walking on the roads of Chikpet, is in itself a difficult task. Roads are narrow and sidewalks are encroached by businessmen. The width of roads in the area ranges from 2 feet to 40 feet. Width of the BVK Iyengar Road is the highest in the area.

S Ananth, a businessman in Chikpet, said residents of Chikpet are original inhabitants of the City.

“Years ago, Bangalore was not beyond Chikpet and surrounding areas. Over the years, Chikpet developed as a commercial hub. Everything under the sun is available here -- from broom to platinum. But the living conditions of common people is very bad”, he said.

The roads of Chikpet are busy till late in the night. As there is no designated parking space, vehicles are parked on the roads, affecting movement of traffic.

Advocate K Somashekhar, who was born and brought up in the locality, fondly remembers his days as young man in Chikpet. “In the 1970s I used to walk from Chikpet to Bull Temple Road everyday. The traffic was not as congested as it is now. Now it is difficult to reach Bull Temple Road from my place on a two-wheeler. Sometimes I take hours to cover about 4 kms”.

Adding to the problems of the residents in the area is poor water supply. “We get drinking water only once in three days. It is difficult to store it,” said Sharada Bayi, a house wife, who has been living in the locality for more than 50 years.

Violations

Residents admit that there is no single building in the area without deviations. “There is no property in Chikpet which can be termed legal as per the present building by-law, floor area ratio and set back regulations. Four storey buildings have come up on roads, whose width is less than 10 ft. But the Palike can’t take action against the builders as they were constructed decades ago,” said Ananth.

Lakshminarayan, a stamp vendor, opi nes that the Palike can make good revenue if it regularises all deviations in Chikpet.

“As Chikpet took shape well before BBMP or BDA came to existence, the State government should consider it a special case and regularise all properties in the area. The Palike can collect regularisation fee from the public and increase its revenue,” he said.

Residents demand regularisation as they are fed up with harassment by Palike staff and elected representatives. Lakshminarayan said every party owners have already paid bribery in lakhs to officers for violations. If violations are not regularised, harassment of the public continues unabated.

Association

Fed up with poor basic amenities, residents of Chikpet have decided to form their own association to fight for their basic demands. The association - named Kaveri Putrara Sangha - will be formally inaugurated on December 20.

The association president S Ananth, a local businessman, said, “River Cauvery is the lifeline of Karnataka. We wanted to identify ourselves as children of the river. The main objective of the association is to fight for basic amenities”. The association will be inaugurated by industrialist Hari L Khoday on Thursday. The function will be organised near Kodandarama Temple on BVK Aiyangar Road.

There is no designated parking place in the area. We are losing our customers because of lack of space for vehicles. If at all customers who come in two-wheelers park their vehicles in front of the shop, traffic police penalise them.

Lokesh, Shopper

There is no drainage system in the area. Most of the times drains get blocked and sewage overflows. Repeated appeals to officers have fallen on deaf ears.

Srinivas, runs a travel agency

Soon after Maharaja Complex came up on Kempe Gowda Road, customers stopped coming to BVK Iyengar Road for purchase. Moreover, there is no parking place. We do more business if parking is allowed at least on one side of the road.

Kishen, cloth merchant

Chikpet is a commercial area. The local body should take steps needed for commercial areas.

Eshwar Pole, runs electrical shop

Chikpet is a happening place. The most depressing fact is that there are no street lights in most of the roads, including BVK Iyengar Road. There are electric poles but no lights.

Rajesh, businessman

For me it is difficult to ride my two-wheeler on the roads of Chikpet. There is not a single road without potholes. As roads are not wide, taking turns at curves is a difficult task.

Vinutha, beautician

Population

*Close to one lakh
*Floating population 5 lakh per day

Property price

*On Chikpet main road: between Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000 per sq ft
*On BVK Iyengar road:
Up to Rs 10,000 per sqft
*Remaining area:
Rs 3,000 to Rs 5,000 per sqft