On the periphery of development

On the periphery of development
Poornima Nataraj, Bangalore, Jan 16, DHNS

Once a City Municipal Council (CMC) area, Bommanahalli is now a key ward under the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP). Yet, the area is plagued by water, sanitary and garbage problems like any other under-developed locality in the City.

Bommanahalli is also home to more than 100 factories, mainly garment companies, the lifeline of many lower middle class families with a floating crowd of over 70,000 people.

Bommanahalli falls on the edge of the busy National Highway No 7, and thus its residents have to bear the traffic congestions associated with the place. As a resident, Sajid, put it, crossing the road at Bommanhalli, Begur Road junction is one the most difficult tasks, especially for the aged.

"It takes 25 minutes to cross the roads here. The junction is not planned well for pedestrians and is not able to handle the crowd with slow development works. The traffic is a mess here despite the presence of traffic police. Cars and autorickshaws are parked haphazardly and two way traffic makes it a challenge to drive on Begur Road," he said.

No water to drink:

Acute shortage of drinking water and improper underground drainage are some of the other major problems associated with Bommanahalli. Although few areas are supplied Cauvery water once in a week, for others the local governing body is providing water through tractors. Gauri, who lives in Rupena Agrahana slum, said that sometimes they have to walk long distances to bring drinking water.

"There is huge problem for water here. Forget water for washing and bathing, there has been no drinking water supply, even through tractors for over a month now,” she said.
Although BWSSB has laid pipelines to supply Cauvery water to this area, the water supply is expected only in 2013, according to Manjunatha Reddy, a BJP aspirant in BBMP elections. "We are supplying drinking water to some areas here. Cauvery water will take time for its supply. UGD has been sanctioned to our areas through a Japan based company, but due to certain conditions implied by the company, the project is taking its own time to surface," said Manjunatha.

Garbage everywhere

Like many other wards, garbage is serious problem in Bommanahalli too. Lack of civic sense among public is creating quite a havoc making way for mosquitoes and stray dogs. The BBMP had introduced door to door garbage collection in the second week of January and will be streamlined soon.


Satish Reddy
MLA, Bommanahalli
Assembly Constituency

On the civic works in the constituency:
Bommanahalli has improved a lot from the last few years. We have done our best and nearly 70 percent civic works which were taken up have been completed. Another 20 percent work is in the process of completion.
On Begur Main Road:
Begur road was really bad a year ago, now as the road has developed. Traffic problems have surfaced. Widening this road to 80 ft road will begin soon.
On Garbage collection:
We launched the door-to-door garbage collection in the second week of January, it will take some time for the whole system to streamline. We have spent 14 crore on this system, we will make sure it works.
On UGD lines
Some UGD work are yet to begin. We are in the process of laying the pipelines.