Residency-Brigade Road: Will you hurry up please?

Residency-Brigade Road: Will you hurry up please?


Faiza Haneef
First Published : 19 Nov 2008 04:32:00 AM IST
Last Updated : 19 Nov 2008 03:30:45 PM IST

BANGALORE: The remodelling of storm water drain (SWD) at the Residency - Brigade road junction is dragging on.

The work estimated at Rs 1 crore was started on November 11 without any prior notification to the public on the resultant traffic diversions at this prominent spot.

If the pace of work is any indication, further delay and inconvenience to people and traders will be the order of things for some time more.

The BBMP’s assurance to complete the work at the earliest is turning out no different from what every such of its assurances have been in recent days - an empty promise.

Oft-repeated

The previous such story was that of the Cauvery junction underpass. The BBMP had gone to town saying it would complete the work in a couple of hours. Sadly for Bangaloreans, it turned out to be an eminently forgettable case. Not only did the hours drag on for weeks, they were also left to contend with shoddy work.

In the present instance, the traders at the Brigade Road - Residency Road junction are tired of appealing to the authorities and putting pressure on the officials to complete the work.

Their businesses have suffered since the work was started.

V Ramachandraa, a trader on Residency Road said: “The BBMP started this work unnecessarily and without any planning.

The problem here was about a manhole which would overflow often, especially during the rains. We had complained several times but there was no response. Now they have started the repair work without even analysing the problem.”

Apprehensions

“Only four to five people are seen at work here,” he observed, apprehensive that it would be another month before the BBMP is through with the job.

This is a major junction and the sluggishness at which the officials are handling the situation is surprising, said another trader Shafiq. “There is no business happening for us. The number of customers have dwindled in the last 10 days,” he said.

The traffic cop who was managing the traffic diversion at the spot on Tuesday said: “The work is taking its own time. It is inconvenient to the public and also to us because the same is seen to be the case with most of the ongoing infrastructure works across the city.” Speaking to this paper, a BBMP official said: “One portion of the work is completed, the other portion will take about eight days.” There is no delay and the work is going on day and night, he added.