A muddle for middle class residents

Potholes and puddles dog residents of Malleswaram, Rajajinagar

Heavy VIP movement, including the chief minister and his entourage, is an accepted norm among its residents. But what is unacceptable for these residents is the fact that the same roads which see this heavy VIP traffic does not cater to the residents of the constituency.

Malleswaram has seen infrastructure boom and commercialisation. Gone are the days for residents who could travel seamlessly on a 60-foot road without a semblance of a pothole.

In Subramanayanagar, Sadananda Gowda’s home is virtually under siege. Not because of the increased police protection he enjoys, but more because of the narrow roads and increased traffic.

With the Metro construction in full swing and the increase in potholes on Dr Rajkumar Road, the northern side of Subramanyanagar is completely blocked due to heavy traffic.

On the southern side, increase in traffic movement due to the construction of the CNR Rao underpass has left the residents of the vicinity with a long wait to cross the road and get to their work place.

This being not an isolated case, the three main hubs of residential and commercial activity have all been blocked due to the bad condition of roads. From Mantri Mall to Dr Rajkumar Road and from Yeshwanthpur to Okalipuram, most roads look like a war-torn area for residents.

Although it boasts of hosting one of the biggest malls in the country, Mantri Square, opens itself on to a road which is no better than the worst stretch of streets in the City. Sampige Road has little room for vehicular movement.  

“I keep travelling on the stretch regularly. And when it rains, especially on a weekend, the road is a complete nightmare,” said Sandhya Prakash, a lawyer.

On the other side of Malleswaram and under Rajajinagar Assembly constituency, Dr Rajkumar Road is home to some of the most extreme cases of neglect.

Utter neglect

“We have never seen such apathy in the maintenance of roads. The Metro construction on West of Chord Road and increased traffic situation on Dr Rajkumar Road has completely isolated us residents and traders,” says Jagadeesh, a real estate agent.
In Yeshwanthpur, increased construction and poor planning in addition to Namma Metro work on one side, the mammoth Brigade Gateway in the middle and the construction of CNR Rao junction underpass yet to be completed on the other, the roads are in a bad shape.

“We cannot travel in and out of Malleswaram due to chaotic traffic diversion and poor quality roads. It is impossible to drive without getting stuck in traffic jams and it is even more dangerous to walk as there are no footpaths in Malleswaram,” complained Vijaya, a housewife.

So where does the buck stop? Will the residents of this entire vicinity receive any relief? The BBMP, on its part, has started a pothole filling drive. It has also allocated Rs 212 crore for the roads and development work of Rajajinagar and Malleswaram, some might say, courtesy the Taxation and Finance Committee Chairman, Manjunath Raju who is the corporator from Kadu Malleswara Ward.

However, the question remains who will ensure that the benefits reach the common man?

Funds for development

*  Strengthening and rehabilitation of arterial and
sub-arterial roads in Malleswaram Assembly
constituency: Rs 150 crore
*  Development works at Malleswaram Assembly
constituency: Rs 10 crore
*  Rajkumar Road signal-free corridor: Rs 25.89 crore
*  Development work in Rajajinagar Assembly
constituency: Rs 8 crore
*  Development work in Subramanayanagar ‘E’ colony A Block and Milk Colony: Rs 2.5 crore
*  Development work at Swimming Pool Colony, Maruthi Extension, Lower Palace Orchids
area: Rs 2.5 crore
*  Development work at Gayathrinagar and
surrounding areas: Rs 3 crore
*  Development work at Aramanenagar,
Ashwathnagar and MSR Nagar: Rs 1 crore
*  Development work in Maruthi Extension and
 surrounding areas of Kadu Malleswara: Rs 3 crore
*  Development work in Aramanenagar ward :
Rs 1.5 crore
*  Special development package allocation for
Yeshwanthpur ward: Rs 25 lakh
*  Special development package for Prakashnagar:
Rs 1 crore
*  Special development package for Nandini Layout: Rs 3 crore

Corporators and BBMP officers

*   Kadu Malleswara:
Manjunath Raju: 9972000168
*   Malleswaram:
N Jayapal: 9379799099
BBMP (West) :
*   Rangaraju (Chief Engineer): 9480684316
*   Prakash Kumar (Executive Engineer, Malleswaram): 9448111261