Halasuru: Serenity amid madness

Halasuru: Serenity amid madness
S Lalitha, May 7:

Chaotic traffic snarls in its main thoroughfares and numerous narrow lanes and bylanes and unannounced power cuts are the overriding issues for residents of Halasuru ward.

Irritants common to other parts of the City like blocked drainage, drinking water shortage, uncleared piles of garbage persist but they fail to take away the charm this area holds for its dwellers. The presence of the centuries-old Someshwara temple built by Hoysala kings, the Subramanya temple, the largest Gurudwara in the City, the picturesque Halasuru Lake and the bustling market contribute to the quaint character of the area.

The village of Halasuru is widely viewed as a gift from Vijayanagara rulers to the City’s founder, Kempe Gowda. Numbered 90, this thickly populated ward falls under East Bangalore. Gupta Layout, Halasuru village, Sivan Chetty street and Halasuru Lake fall under it. What stands out about this ward are the countless lanes branching out from every road. Small houses dot every part of the landscape with not even an arm’s space separating them.

Residents who have made this ward their home swear that they do not even dream of relocating anywhere else. “You get everything you want in this ward. In fact, people in other areas are yearning to set up base here,” is an oft-uttered remark.

The traffic bottlenecks in this busy area have intensified of late due to the road blockages and diversions created due to the ongoing Metro Rail work. “The Bazaar Road has now become the main route for anyone who chooses to pass through the area. The vehicular pollution we experience now is making our life a misery,” explains Prabhakar, who lives nearby.

“Every hour of power supply is followed by an hour without it. This happens throughout the day though there is no problem in the night,” laments Manjunath. The view is seconded by a group standing around him.

The major attraction in the ward, Halasuru Lake, is in a state of shambles. Built by Kempe Gowda II, it is the only tank that still remains out of the countless ones constructed in Bangalore by the Gowda rulers. Repeated attempts to improve the lake have gone in vain and another effort is being undertaken now.

Profile

Name: R Udayakumar
Party: Congress
Age: 42
Family: Wife Yashodha Two boys- Akshay Kumar (7) and Chandan Kumar (2)
Education: SSLC

Your priorities...
To redress drinking water shortage in Kaliamman Koil Street, Purushottamman Road and 6th Cross of Gupta Layout. Taking care of sanitary problems at Yelliamman Koil street, Halasuru market, Purushottam Road and M V Garden.

Plans for Halasuru lake....
We will start desilting work shortly. The swimming pool, which is in a damaged condition, will be re-opened after improvements are carried out.

People are desperate for a government hospital...
The only government hospital that existed was demolished due to work in connection with Metro Rail. I will try to set up another hospital in the ward.

City voices

Preethi: This is a 24/7 ward as far as traffic, noise and fast-paced life is concerned. Stink is another omnipresent feature. Since people of all economic classes coexist, there is no end to the ruckus.

Prakash: The power crisis in the last three months has been the biggest headache. It
really affects business. The traffic on Bazaar Road also gets on my nerves as I run my
shop here.

Ramesh Kumar: Halasur is a great area to live in. It has life all 24 hours. Problems exist but these are due to the residents themselves. You cannot blame the government for
everything.