Twitter campaign on pathetic road jolts Bengaluru MLA, BDA into action

An online campaign by local residents for the immediate asphalting of Anjanapura Main Road, off Kanakapura Road, has jolted the local MLA and the BDA into action.

Upset over the pathetic condition of the 6.8-km-long road, the residents had petitioned the Bengaluru South MLA, M Krishnappa, several times. The road was damaged after the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) dug it up for laying water pipelines. The BJP MLA didn’t respond.

As a last resort, the residents launched a Twitter campaign by posting pictures of the pathetic road and demanding that the MLA act.

The campaign gained momentum as people started criticising Krishnappa for his prolonged silence and inaction. The MLA took notice and pressured the BDA to repair the road quickly.

On Thursday, BDA Chairperson S R Vishwanath and Krishnappa held a meeting with officials and asked why the road had not been restored. Local residents also attended the meeting.

Vishwanath assured the MLA and the residents to solve all their civic problems in a phased manner.

“The MLA and our officials have complained about pending works in Anjanapura Layout. These include streetlights, underground drainage, roadworks, etc. We have set aside Rs 25 crore for repair and restoration of Anjanapura Main Road, which will happen soon,” he said after the meeting.

Krishnappa said the roadwork was expected to begin in the next 15 days. “It wasn’t the BWSSB alone that dug up the road. Other government agencies such as the BMRCL, Bescom and the KPTCL also caused severe damages to the road. But all these works have finished now. We will make sure the road is restored to its original condition,” he said.

The MLA said he chose not to respond to the social media backlash against him.

“As an MLA, I have limitations and work according to the availability of funds from the government,” he said, adding that he had always worked according to his conscience and lamented that people didn’t speak of his good work but only complained about the problems.