Kaveri junction underpass still not complete

Kaveri junction underpass still not complete
Another deadline passes by...
DH News Service, Bangalore:


Delay in completion of the underpass at Kaveri junction has left shoppers furious against the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP). Intermittent supply of power, non-supply of drinking water and disruption for parking place have resulted in huge loss in business for them.

Sameer Choudhry of Trident showroom (Hyundai) at Kaveri junction said, “We normally sell 500 cars in a month. In January the sales have come down by 150. Who will bear the loss?”
“The Palike started the work promising that it would be over in three days. We are not getting customers as there is no parking place”, Choudhry said.

A businessman, who preferred anonymity, said, “My building is not getting water for the last one week. On Monday last, they cut the sewerage line. Workers of BWSSB, Bescom demand bribe to set things right. We are being extorted by the civic agencies”, he said.

Manager of a company located on T Chowdiah Road said he could not take out his company’s car for the last 10 days. “Even crossing the road has become difficult. I have to walk a kilometre to get an autorickshaw”, he alleged.

Baskin Robbins, an ice cream parlour here, has found the time appropriate to take up its renovation work. Umashankar of the parlour said, “We have not opened the shop due to renovation work.”

Grievance cell

A builder who has rented out his building for shops demanded that the Palike should set up a grievance cell at the work site.
“There is no one to listen to our complaints. Nobody speaks to us politely. We have every right to demand basic services”, he said.

4 days to go

Palike Commissioner’s second deadline for the Kaveri junction underpass completion came and went on Tuesday. Palike Chief Engineer (Major Roads) K S Krishna Reddy has now set a third deadline, though not officially: Saturday.

The Palike had begun construction work on January 16. The commissioner had promised that the work would be completed within three days. As water supply pipelines ruptured during excavation, work was delayed and the three-day magic did not work.

The commissioner sought 10 more days to complete the work. However, that too did not work. Asked about the delay, Commissioner Dr S Subramanya said he will speak only after completion of the work.