As polls get over, people say utility problems are back

But Palike, Bescom, BWSSB blame 'maintenance works'

The Lok Sabha elections are over, and problems of power cuts, shortage of water supply and uncleared garbage have surfaced again in the City.

Citizens wonder if the supply of utilities was regular only until elections and the examination season ended.

But the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (Bescom) and the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) insist that the services have been affected by “minor and routine problems in maintenance or those pertaining to the contractor”.They, however, could not explain why the maintenance works began just after the elections got over.

People in the City’s northern, southern and western parts complained that water supply had been affected since Friday. “In Nagarabhavi, Mysore Road and surrounding areas, the flow of water supply is low and the duration less. Is it because of the long weekend or because the elections are over,” wondered Alok Kumar, a resident of Nagarabhavi.
In many areas, manholes and sewage pipelines overflowed.

“The road has been stinking because of the overflowing manhole. We repeatedly requested the BWSSB to clear it, but there has been no response,” said K Ashok, a shopkeeper from Rajajinagar.

BWSSB chairman M S Ravishankar said machines had been deployed for clearing drains and manholes.

“There could be some minor sewage leakage which will be checked. There could be some technical problems in water supply,” he told Deccan Herald, insisting that water supply had in fact improved, and dismissing the suggestion that the problems had nothing to do with elections.

This apart, citizens in Outer Ring Road, Hosur Road, Bannerghatta Road, Mysore Road and Magadi Road complained of power cuts.

“Brief power cuts have been happening here often. This was not the case during elections and exams,” said Tripthi U from  Bannerghatta Road.

Pankaj Kumar Pandey, Managing Director, Bescom, attributed the minor power cuts to maintenance works. “Power cuts in Bangalore south are because of the overloaded transformer breaking down. This is normal and keeps happening, it has nothing to do with elections or exams.” Complaints of uncleared garbage in market areas, residential and commercial quarters were reported from all parts of Bangalore at the weekend.

“As per rules, there should be no black spots. But garbage was strewn everywhere. In some areas, there was no door-to-door collection of garbage. We wonder if garbage was too much for the BBMP to manage after elections and the festive season ended,” said Asha Dass from Jayanagar.

BBMP Commissioner M Lakshminarayana, however, said the garbage problem could be because of contractors’ negligence. “It is not a post-election or festive relaxation effect. Cleanliness should be ensured round the clock.”