BBMP's 'dig-it-forget-it' style leaves residents stranded

Palike excavates earth for underpass at Hosakerehalli, forgets it

It’s literally a house arrest for about 40 -50 residents near Hosakerehalli Cross, courtesy apathy of Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).

The Palike, in its inimitable style, had dug up the earth at the busy junction off Ring Road to construct an underpass in September 2016, and forgot the project, leaving the residents to fend for themselves.

An aggrieved resident, on the condition of anonymity, told DH, “The civic bodies have literally kept us under house arrest. We can’t even take our vehicles out due to this mess. Forget vehicles, we can’t go out of our houses because of the haphazard works by the agencies.’’

The affected residents alleged that the Palike had marked at three to four spots at several houses for acquisition for the proposed underpass. “The markings to acquire the space for the underpass are done haphazardly. How can the markings be changed at their whims and fancies? They altered length and width time and again, another resident rued.

When contacted, B S Prahlad, Chief Engineer of Major Roads infrastructure, passed the buck to Bangalore Water Supply and Sewage Board (BWSSB) for delaying the underpass work. “The water pipes in the area need to be shifted, which is delaying the project. BWSSB officials have assured us that pipes will be shifted by next week. As soon as their work is done we will expedite the work and complete the project at the earliest,” he said.

Dismissing the fears of the residents about acquisition, Prahlad assured that BBMP will not be demolishing or acquiring any houses. “We have enough space to construct the underpass. But for a small portion of pavement we will not touch any house in for the project,” he repeated.

Meanwhile, the BWSSB officials told DH that the board was not part of the project and that the BBMP was solely responsible for shifting of pipelines. “It’s a turnkey project, where BBMP is completely responsible for it. We don't have any role to play in the project,” confirmed an official, who requested not to be named.

The barricades, which have been put up beside the excavated area is a nightmare for the daily commuters, who takes this route. “Minor falls and accidents are reported on this stretch almost every day. Imagine the plight of the residents and the two-wheeler riders when a heavy vehicle breaks down, laments an aggrieved resident.

Also, a few traders have closed down their businesses, located on either side of the road, after they started suffering losses due to poor connectivity. With the flyover work near Hosakerehalli petrol bunk is nearing completion, the residents fear that it could only get worse.