A business place that vendors, visitors deserve

The KR Market is the City’s most popular commercial area and the most crowded. This should have been reason enough for the civic authorities to ensure that the place has a semblance of order. But a visit there shows roads that are unkempt and dirty, gaping potholes everywhere and garbage and waste left unattended on the sidewalks.

Many of those who live or work in the area are openly critical of the civic amenities and lament about the unbearable stench and squalor there. But, vendors too have to take their share of the blame. Like visitors, they too dump garbage in the area. Shopkeepers dispose of the waste in the open and spit on the footpaths.

“While the inside of the market complex is quite neat, the surrounding places such as the vending areas near the pedestrian subway, the police station and the flyover junction have become an eyesore,” the residents said.

Neha Garodia, a regular visitor to the market, expressed disappointment that little has been done to keep the area clean. “The market area has turned into a cesspool and it stinks because of the constant pile-up of garbage, which I think is not removed by BBMP regularly. The civic body should handle the waste collected on the streets and footpaths more effectively,” she said.

A few hawkers complained that due to shortage of garbage bins, people are forced to dump waste on the road.

“I am sure, if there are bins on the roadside, the public will start disposing litter there. I have also seen street vendors dirtying the pedestrian walkways by dumping waste and leftover food.”

Pointing to the SJP Road, near the mosque, M Muzail, a fruit seller, said that the stench emanating from the nearby garbage dump spreads in the entire market area.

“There is a huge garbage pit at the entrance of the road. Vendors dump all their waste there, which rots and lets out a foul smell. I do see BBMP workers removing garbage once in a while. Yet, the place is very filthy. People cover their noses while walking on the road,” he said.

Another street vendor, Manju, said the BBMP was irregular in clearing waste and cleaning the streets.

“I do not see the workers regularly. They usually visit the area once in two days and sometimes they do not turn up at all. The public should also be blamed for dirtying the streets,” he said.

Palike response

A pourakarmika said workers swept the streets every day and work without a break from 10 am to 3 pm. “It is the public, and to some extent, the street vendors who should be blamed,” she said. 

Refuting allegations about the BBMP’s carelessness, Palike Assistant Engineer B Mohan said the BBMP worked in a fixed schedule to remove garbage from the market. “Every hour, a lorry removes garbage from the collection points. We work round-the-clock and also do surprise inspections to keep tabs on waste disposal,” he said.

“Sometimes, truckloads of leafy vegetables enter the market at midnight and dirty the entire street while unloading. From our end, however, we are trying our best to solve the garbage problem. Since litter keeps mounting every hour, it’s difficult to maintain cleanliness.”