JOIN USIf there is a ‘road to hell’, it must be the one called Kanakapura Road in Sarakki ward near JP Nagar. It is in a state of utter neglect, what with most slab stones from its side drains—that act as pavements—having been removed and dumped in the middle of the road.
Pedestrians do not have any footpath to walk. The removed slab stones obstruct the path of motorists and pedestrians alike. Footpaths, where slabs of stone have not been removed, are occupied by street vendors.
Ranganath, a resident, protests the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike’s (BBMP) apathy. “Kanakapura Road is a very busy road. Without footpaths, we are forced to walk on the road. Many people have met with serious accidents while walking on the road. Why can’t the influential people who take this road see its poor condition?”
According to residents, the slabs of stone were removed four months ago to desilt the side drains before the arrival of monsoon so that rainwater could flow without any obstacle. But even as monsoon retreats, the construction of footpaths has not yet begun.
But slab stones in the middle of the road are not the only thing motorists are worried about. They can easily get trapped in the crater-size potholes which dot the whole stretch, from Banashankari Temple to Konanakunte Cross. When it rains, motorists often meet with accidents as they fail to spot the water-filled potholes.
There are also other things which are quite conspicuous on this road such as dirt and garbage in its every nook and corner. The nauseating smell of garbage greets people as they walk by, covering their nose.
And there is pathetic public hygiene as vendors spread vegetables, fruits, fish and other edibles on the ground next to the stinking heaps of garbage which the people cannot stand for a moment.
Mahesha, a trader, is all agitated when someone talks to him about the poor infrastructure. “We neither have roads nor footpaths. Sometimes, streetlights also don’t work. All that we have is a garbage mound for stray cattle and dogs to feast on. Fly and mosquito menace has increased manifold but chemicals have not been sprayed. The BBMP’s health inspectors are least bothered about public health. I wonder if there is anything called administration in the City.”
Corporator blames Metro
Sarakki corporator and former mayor S K Nataraj blames the Metro for the road’s poor condition. “Metro authorities should repair the road. I have been demanding that the government improve the road but nothing has happened. Three chief ministers — D V Sadananda Gowda, Jagadish Shettar and Siddaramaiah — visited this road but it remained the same. Now, the Major Roads Division of the BBMP has taken up the work,” he said.