KNOW YOUR CONSTITUENCY

KNOW YOUR CONSTITUENCY

BASAVANAGUDI
Tree-lined avenues, broad roads, parks within a distance of one km, shopping areas and the quaint charm of old Bangalore. That’s Basavangudi, situated in the heart of Bangalore South.
An old area which has balanced aesthetics with new-age developments, Basavangudi has a good infrastructure and connectivity network and is situated within 8 kms from city bus stations and the railway station.
The area is s y n o ny m o u s with prestigious educational institutions - BMS College of Engineering and National College; well-laid parks - M N Krishna Rao Park and Bugle Rock; old hotels - Vidyarthi Bhavan and Dwaraka; places of worship - Dodda Ganesha and Bull temple; the famous Gandhi Bazaar or Subbammana Angadi which is never without a stream of customers.
From a sleepy residential colony, Basavangudi has woken up to commercialisation and urbanisation over the last decade. The area which still boasts of palatial bunglows in Mysore style architecture, is slowly catching up with the apartment culture. Some of the old tiled-roof houses on 60 by 40 ft plots have given way to threestoreyed apartments, the small Iyengar bakeries to modern coffee and bread cafes, small-time idly-vada hotels have become north-Indian restaurants. And residents of Basavangudi have also adapted to the pani puri culture.
The area is not bereft of problems either. If the aroma of pure ghee cooking on crispy masala dosas at Vidyarthi Bhavan fills the air at Gandhi Bazaar circle, it’s the stench of rotting vegetables on the other side.
The pavements in the area are an eyesore, especially near the bazaar where they are haphazard. There are all chances of ankles twisting, thanks to the blocks in the footpath that have chipped off. In the face of it, Basavangudi does not fall under the “problematic’’ block, but the minor glitches include flooding during rains, unasphalted roads in the inner areas, the mosquito menace and overflowing garbage.
Areas like Ashoknagar, Kalappa block, Raghavendra block, Muneshwara block, Nagendra block, Tyagarajnagar and inner lanes of Srinivasnagar, Katriguppe need an immediate facelift. Here encroachments are rampant and road space has shrunk.
While KG Nagar is well-developed, its neighbouring areas - Gavipura, Sunkanahalli, Sanyasi Kunte, Chikkanna Garden and Veeraswamy Garden need development. The eight slums are in a better condition compared to slums in other areas.
The designated vegetable market has not been put to use and vegetable and fruit vendors sit on the pavements blocking pedestrian movement. However, Basavangudi has some active resident associations which take part in the administration.
On the whole, Basavangudi has always been envied for its broad roads and well planned infrastructure to keep pace with the population growth. The area is also well networked with public transportation.
Major areas
BSK I stage, Girinagar I and II phase, Hosakerehalli Layout, Gavipuram, Nagendra Block, Hanumanthanagar, Katriguppe, Tyagarajnagar, Tata Silk Farm, NR Colony, Srinivasanagar.
Landmarks
Ramakrishna Mutt, Hotel Vidyarthi Bhavan and Dwaraka, Dodda Ganesha Temple, BMS College of Engineering, Gandhi Bazaar Market, National College, Bugle Rock Park, DVG Road.
PROBLEMS
Earlier
Bad pavements, mosquito menace, dumping of debris on the pavements, thefts.
Now
Badly laid pavements in Gandhi Bazaar and shopping areas, cattle straying on the roads and pavements, stray dog menace, uncleared garbage in some parts, encroachment of conservancy lanes. JAYANAGAR
About 25 years ago, nobody wanted to invest in a property in Bairasandra extension of Jayanagar. It was considered one “corner’’ of the city. Land was available at throwaway prices, but there were no takers. Today, an inch of land in Jayanagar costs a fortune.
From the terrace of BHS School, it was a sight to see the runway of Bangalore airport with flights landing and taking off, just about 15 years ago. Today, Jayanagar has towering buildings.
Always known as a posh locality with broad roads, water bodies and strong infrastructure, the nature of Jayanagar has changed with rapid urbanisation, where smaller pockets have given rise to civic problems.
Jayanagar’s twin area is JP Nagar and the latter is always in the news. Mainly so during the rains — with its “ i n f a m o u s ’ ’ drains known for devouring people or its areas which are inundated during the downpour.
Billed as the fastest growing area, housing IT and BPO firms and a sizeable number of residential complexes, Jayanagar-JP Nagar are some of the most sought after residential areas in the city.
Alarmingly falling prey to commercialisation, JP Nagar is racing up the chart in terms of building deviations, violation of zonal regulations and violation of land use, which is putting a strain on the existing infrastructure.
Parking is a bane in the area as commercial complexes have sprung up at every nook and corner without adequate parking facilities. Lack of parking lots have also resulted in every residential area having a line up of vehicles on either sides. “No parking in front of this gate’’ sign boards have become passe!
The roads here, though tarred, are dug up often without good restoration work. Some of the shoulder drains open up with the slightest rain. The classic example of the collapse of system in the area was the flooding of Puttenahalli, when the area was under four feet of water during rains due to flooding.
Once a “village’’, now Sarakki has also seen a lot of development. This area is now a part of JP Nagar.
The Jayanagar IV block com
plex is a favourite hangout. Here is where residents of Jayanagar tasted junk food. The Jayanagar complex market is famous for all and sundry. The Rose Garden road running from South End Circle is badly asphalted and is very risky for motorists at night. But the Lakshman Rau boulevard is a senior citizens’ paradise.
Land prices have crossed Rs 10,000 per sqft at various places. Lot of independent houses have been bulldozed to make way for high-rise residential colonies.
Major areas
Jayanagar IV block, Pattabhiramanagar, Tilaknagar, Bismillahnagar, Gurappanapalya, Tavarekere, JP Nagar I, II, III, IV and VI phases, Sarakki, Bairasandra extension.
Landmarks
Jayanagar shopping complex, Vijaya College, Bangalore Hospital, South End road, Lakshman Rau boulevard, Jain temple.
PROBLEMS
Earlier
Bad roads, overflowing drains, improper garbage disposal.
Now
Parking, encroachment, irregular water supply in new areas, increase in vehicular traffic due to rapid commercialisation, violation of land use and zonal regulation, road digging and shoddy restoration.