Piles of uncollected trash near Netaji Subhash Park in ISRO Layout.
Credit: Rajiv Magal
Bengaluru: Even as a proposal to levy a fee for door-to-door garbage collection is under discussion, many parts of Bengaluru are turning into dumping grounds, with waste piling up from the city’s fringes to its core.
From Attur Layout in Yelahanka to Indiranagar in central Bengaluru, residents are increasingly frustrated by irregular garbage collection and poor enforcement of waste segregation rules.
While citizens point to a shortage of pourakarmikas (civic workers), they also allege that even the few on duty are not held accountable.
"Pourakarmikas sweep the roads and leave heaps of garbage on the streets,” said Sneha Nandihal, a resident of Indiranagar. “Auto-tipper drivers claim they are not paid regularly, so they prioritise collecting commercial waste and leave behind domestic trash. It becomes chaotic when they mix organic and non-degradable waste,” she added.
Rajiv Magal, a resident of ISRO Layout, said indiscriminate dumping near Netaji Subhash Park has been a long-standing issue. “Every locality in Bengaluru is turning into a dump yard. A decade ago, we didn’t see this much garbage on roadsides. If we don’t act now, it will only worsen,” he said. “It’s ironic that my area is named after ISRO — a globally celebrated space agency — while the streets are overflowing with garbage.”
Other blackspots
Halasuru is another blackspot, with consistent garbage dumping and sewage overflow near the canal under Old Madras Road. A similar situation exists near Prasanna Theatre on Magadi Main Road in Rajajinagar.
When contacted, a senior official from Bangalore Solid Waste Management Limited (BSWML) said action would be taken against violators, but declined to provide further details.