Plug this water leak on Campbell Road

Plug this water leak on Campbell Road

Odeal D'Souza



A water pipe burst has left Campbell Road, which connects Johnson Market to Lifestyle, in a slushy mess.
As cars, autos, and two-wheelers move slowly on this narrow and poorly asphalted lane, officials of the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) have not taken any steps to plug the leak. Pedestrians moving on this stretch to reach the main road hop to avoid puddles along the way.
Since the one-way system has been routed to Campbell Road, vehicles enter this road from Hosur Main Road, Mother Teresa Road and the road opposite St Philomena's Hospital to reach D'souza Circle. Hence, there is too much chaos on this stretch. When it rains, the road gets flooded and the situation goes beyond control.
"We stay on the proper Campbell road. To go there, we've to use this stretch. However, when it rains, it's difficult to walk on this road," Srinidhi R, a resident, says.
"Even if we go in a vehicle, we get stuck in the jam," she says.
This stretch runs across the Campbell main road to a residential and shopping area.
There are about 20 houses on this road and the residents have been facing hardship for 20 years because of bad pavements. Although the BBMP did some repair works, they never bothered to complete them.
"The pavements were not properly constructed. They were laid about 20 years back and the work was abandoned half way through," says Oliver D'souza, a resident.
"Due to the uneven pavements, senior citizens often trip and fall while taking morning and evening walks," he says.
"We've complained to the BBMP authorities many times. But they've not yielded any results so far. The drains are overflowing on the cross road which has added to our woes," says Gloria M, another resident.
Another problem the residents face is poor street lighting.
"After many complaints from the residents, the authorities have finally fixed two street lights," says Yogesh, a resident.
"There were no problems of waterlogging when we came here 30 years ago. However, we are facing many problems now. The overflowing drain is a repulsive sight for residents. Otherwise, this area is quite a nice place to live in," says another resident.
The Campell Road was once a pride of Bangalore where many Anglo-Indian used to stay. They have moved out of the place now.