Hold it! There’s no public loo on MG Road

Hold it! There’s no public loo on MG Road
Bangalore: Sep 9, DHNS:

Two years ago, a group of traders approached the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) for the construction of a much-needed public toilet along M G Road opposite S&B Towers.


With the last existing restroom along Bangalore’s most popular street vanishing with the closure of Indian Coffee House, people are left with no option but to approach showroom owners and other restaurants to attend nature’s call.

The Bangalore Trades Association, a conglomeration of traders along M G Road, St Marks Road and Brigade Road, has been trying to pursue the matter with the State government and even the Palike on several occasions since 2006, only to return dejected.
In a letter to the Chief Minister in October 2008, the Association provided a summary on the lack of public urinals along M G Road and the pathetic state of the footpaths in the Central Business District. While the CM’s office shot a letter in this regard to the BBMP, there was no reprieve to the plight of the citizens.

“We had identified a space along M G Road two years ago and hawkers were removed and the place was cleared. But due to the inaction of the authorities, the place has now turned into a parking lot and a KPTCL transformer is also being built there,” Association president, N Palaniappan told Deccan Herald.

Metro an excuse?
Apart from facilities for public urinals, the Association had also sought for the repair of footpaths along St Marks Road and M G Road. “We had even proposed a sponsorship for repairing the footpath on these streets, but the authorities shot back saying that the Metro construction was obstructing any developmental works along the streets,” said a baffled Palaniappan.

While the BMRCL construction is an on-going project till 2010, the lackadaisical attitude about repairing footpath on the other side of the road has raised serious doubts about the work ethics of the civic agencies. The Association has even asked whether, the Metro has become an excuse for authorities not to take action along the street.
Though local MLA N A Harris was approached earlier this year and a meeting was held with the then BBMP commissioner, Subramanaya, no concrete results have come from the corridors of power for the upkeep of the face of Bangalore.