Malleswaram in traffic throes

Malleswaram in traffic throes
Sandeep Moudgal, April 18, DH News Service

Split into two wards by a single street, Malleswaram residents are now in a fix on their saviour from civic problems.


The area was divided as Ward No 45 - Malleswaram and Ward No 65 - Kadu Malleshwara, following delimitation of wards. Not only that, corporators of two different political parties represent each ward. While the former is represented by Congress, Kadu Malleswara is represented by a BJP corporator.

Resident Welfare Associations (RWA), are hopeful that the party divide will not be an obstacle for progress and development of the wards.

From traffic congestion to water woes, the area has been under constant pressure of an increasing population influx. High Rise buildings and newly developed commercial complex has presented the area with a whole new set of issues and problems to deal with.
“If you want to visit hell then you just have to travel along the connecting road between Seshadripuram and Malleswaram. The newly constructed Mantri Mall has given us a nightmare,” said a resident.

Anand Sirur, president, Malleswaram Swabhimana Initiative, a Residents’ Welfare Associations (RWA) said the problem could multiply with the Sampige Road Metro Station coming up just beside the Mall.

“There is a proposal of constructing a four-lane road behind the Mall. We are quite unsure about how this road on such narrow stretch will help ease the traffic congestion,” said Sirur.

With virtually all footpaths encroached in the core area of Malleswaram ward, either by vendors or by vehicles, Venkatesh, secretary for the RWA said none of the footpaths were disabled-friendly.

“It is quite a hard task for the disabled to even walk on these footpaths. With no ramps and unevenly layed slabs, they are virtually inaccessible,” he added.

Zero garbage initiative

The zero garbage initiative in the area projected by the local MLA, Ashwath Narayan may have given some relief to the residents with cleaner roads, but the bylanes still seem to be hampered with lack of awareness on garbage segregation among citizens.

Vani Murthy, another resident said there was lack of vehicles to dispose of the garbage. Only two trucks ply on Malleswaram streets for garbage disposal, she said.

Irregular water supply is another problem that the residents have to live with. Groundwater is fast depleting with mushrooming of apartments in the area.
Narayanaswamy, a resident of 15th Cross said one had to dig beyond 500 feet under ground to strike water.

So what confidence does the local corporators exude among the residents.
The RWAs and residents are hopeful that constant interaction and involvement of people in the decision making process for the progress of the ward will be ensured.

However, the education background and the knowledge on tackling civic woes of the elected corporators seems to be a glitch, if the residents are to believed.