Skating with danger, kids on road

Skating with danger, kids on road
AKANKSHA MEHROTRA
DC | BENGALURU


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ENCROACHED: BUSINESSMAN TAKES OVER BBMP SKATING RINKS We have gone to the BBMP office several times and complained to the officers there. But they have done nothing to help us. This man who lives in Malleswaram, comes all the way to Nandini Layout to give skating lessons and refuses to give us free access to the rinks, says a resident.

People of Nandini May 18: People of Nandini Layout and Aghara Dasarahalli are fighting to retain skating rinks built by BBMP in their localities for public use almost two years ago, claiming they have been taken over by an influential businessman who is charging them a fee for their use without authorisation.
The agitated residents say they have informed the BBMP commissioner that their children are not able to use the skating rinks, but no one has come to their rescue.

“Both the skating rinks are now run by this man, who is charging a big fee for their use.

Our children are forced to skate on the roads as a result,” says Vijaya V.S. of Rajajinagar 2nd block.

The children have no choice as most parents are not willing to pay Rs 1,000 for admission and a monthly fee of Rs 300 to use the skating rinks. “The man is not even a trained coach.

And to top it all, he has made it mandatory for children to buy all their skating accessories from him if they want him to give them lessons. This is sheer harassment,” says Venkatesh Prakash of Nandini Layout. “We have gone to the BBMP office several times and complained to the officers there.

But they have done nothing to help us.
This man who lives in Malleswaram, comes all the way to Nandini Layout to give skating lessons and refuses to give us free access to the rinks,” says another local resident, Ramesh Kumar.

The people feel the businessman is getting away with using public skating rinks to make money as he is politically influential.

BBMP corporator for ward no. 67 Harish, when contacted, admitted the rinks were being used illegally by the businessman in question.

“We have asked him to go, but he refuses to leave.

We will get rid of him and make sure people are able to use the rinks as before,” he asssured.