Residents chart a new layout for themselves

Residents chart a new layout for themselves

Arunima Raja. Bangalore



Residents of Jagadish Nagar, New Thippasandra, have set an example for other Residents' Welfare Associations (RWAs) with their initiative and help from their local MLA, KS Nandeesh Reddy, to fix their problems.
Pot hole-ridden roads and overflowing sewage were just the tip of the iceberg of problems these residents faced for long time.
But then, the RWAs here decided to take the road less travelled.
Jagadish Nagar was first under the management of the HAL Sanitary Board, an urban management body, for a long time. Later, it went under the aegis of the City Municipal Council (CMC). But none of these bodies were able to provide a systematic plan for the layout. There was more than one house with the same house number too.
To set all these issues right on their own accord, members of the RWA, under the leadership of LN Hegde, an architect and president of the RWA, prepared a detailed estimate for all development works required.
They researched for three weeks and prepared a detailed plan. This included giving new numbers to houses and asphalting the roads.
The next step was presenting the plan to the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).
"We had collected information and submitted our plans to various civic agencies. We made several trips to the BBMP office to present our plan. Nine out of ten times it was a failure. But finally, the BBMP adopted our numbering system," said Jayaramachandran CM, secretary of this RWA.
Once the plan was approved, the residents pooled in funds for the works. About Rs15,000 was spent on setting up sign boards alone.
When these inexpensive boards started falling apart, the BBMP soon came forward and installed proper signboards. And now, the RWA of Jagadish Nagar makes it a point that the civic authority paints these boards and numbers them accurately.
Harish, assistant executive engineer, BBMP, said, "The area has developed over the last few years. The RWA had done a good job. Even connectivity has improved."
The happy residents wholeheartedly thank Nandeesh for his support and enthusiasm in their project that has helped them go a long way in changing the face of their layout.
The RWA still has a long way to go in fixing problems like obtaining Cauvery water supply. "As of now, residents purchase water for about Rs1,500 each month," said PP Sethumadhavan, a resident.
The RWA is also trying to construct a park in the area. It is trying to resolve a decade-old conflict between the revenue department and the civic agencies over a piece of land, and utilise that lung space for the park.