JOIN USFrom a quaint place to a bustling locality, Rajajinagar has grown over the years. Unfortunately, the problems faced by residents in this area have also grown manifold.
Rajajinagar first block once boasted of an old-world charm, with trees on both the sides of the road. Today, one finds no trees, only a line of shops.
The residents are vocal when it come to highlighting the issues here. Jayanthi, a medical professional, says, “It is nearly impossible to cross the road near Navrang Circle. This is an accident-prone junction with vehicles coming from all four directions and motorists zigzag their way as pedestrians struggle to cross the road. There are no traffic signals and there is no traffic police here.”
Manjunath, a traffic police in Rajajinagar, points out, “There is no provision to install a signal at the Circle as there is a signal just a half metre away. So during peak hours, we use hand signals to control the traffic.”
He adds, “There is unimaginable traffic from 8.30 am to 10.30 am and in the evening from 5 pm to 8 pm. It is very difficult to manage traffic during this time by a single policeman. We need at least two to three policemen at the circle.”
The ‘Namma Metro’ construction has also brought its own woes to the residents of Rajajinagar as they struggle to cross the road thanks to a divider, which was built for the Metro. Crossing the road is a Herculean task for senior citizens and women.
Pedestrians either have to walk long distance to cross the road or take the dreaded path which includes climbing the three-feet divider which is filled with construction debris, stones and garbage. Yoganarasimha, an 80-year-old-man, had complained several times to the corporator and the MLA to make a provision to cross the road, but his plea has fallen on deaf ears.
“I have to cross the road to get milk and grocery and I find it very difficult to do so. The stones prick me, there is garbage on the median and climbing such a height is not easy for an old man like me. It is all the more difficult if I am carrying a heavy bag. When I complained to the corporator, he assured me that he would solve the issue within a day but it has been four months now, no work has been done.”
The area also faces problems like unfriendly pedestrian paths and broken footpath like any other area in the City. Construction materials from private buildings and garbage are dumped on the road side. The footpaths in Rajajinagar first block are narrow or broken.
Added to this, there are no bus shelters on an entire stretch in Rajajinagar first block. The commuters seek shelter under trees and in shops during rains. Anju, a commuter, says, “The traffic is heavy in the area during evening hours and buses rarely stop at the right spot. Sometimes, we have to run to get into the bus.
School children have to wait at bus stops carrying their heavy bags and run towards the bus during heavy traffic, which is very risky.” In Rajajinagar third block, an empty site is turned into a dumpyard.
The pit is located on the main road and garbage is thrown by passers-by and shop keepers. A bus stand is situated very close to the dumpyard. Till now, no one has been able to provide a solution to this problem.
Also, finding a parking spot is very difficult in Rajajinagar. Vehicles are parked in residential areas or in no parking zones. Rakesh, a resident says, “Despite the no-parking board, people still park their vehicles there. Vehicles trespass the way and park in residential areas.”