Blame game is now name game

Blame game is now name game
By: B V Shiva Shankar Date: 2009-05-07



Bangalore:
BBMP threatens to change name of Vittal Mallya Road if beer baron refuses to repair it

Vijay Mallya will have to act quickly and repair Vittal Mallya Road, named after his father, or the BBMP will change the name of the road.

According to a contract singed between the beer baron and the civic body in 1973, Grant Road was changed to Vittal Mallya Road on the condition that the UB Group would maintain and repair the road whenever called for.


Mess: Posh UB City is on the shamefully neglected Vittal Mallya Road, earlier called Grant Road pic/ Satish Badiger

"The UB Group is shying away from its responsibility," said Puttaraju, joint commisioner, BBMP. "The road is full of pits and potholes, and the group is not responding to our reminders."

He told MiD DAY the decision to revoke the name was a strong possiblity, but it would be taken at a higher level.

UB officials said the repair couldn't be taken up because a Lokayukta inquiry on a road encroachment by UB City was still pending.

The Lokayukta isn't convinced that is reason enough not to fix the road. "The encroachment was the main issue, but they have resolved a part of it," said Lokayukta N Santhosh Hegde. "We have submitted a report on other building violations, but in any case that should not be an excuse for the UB Group to postpone repair work."

The ones suffering in the bargain are road users.

"I don't care who the owner of the road is," said a regular commuter. "It is hell for me to drive through the road. For heaven's sake, tell them to act to make it worth using."

UB City violations
>>Vittal Mallya Road was 21 m wide before mall construction, but has shrunk to 13 m now.
>>UB Group took BBMP's approval to convert a residential site to a commercial one. The BDA has yet to okay it.
>>No fire engine space