Development, a snail-paced work in progress in these wards

Glitzy malls coexist with residential areas that are a far cry from civilisation

Mahadevapura, which came under BBMP limits seven years ago, is still struggling for development and is a picture of striking contrasts. Huge shopping malls and showrooms with global brands stand beside semi-urban locales reminding one of villages. This place is a work in progress with a fancy facade and a dark underbelly.

The constituency has eight BBMP wards: Garudacharpalya, Kadugodi, Hagadooru, Doddanekkundi, Marathahalli, Hoodi, Varthur and Bellandur. Chaos reigns here. Traffic is chaotic with none paying regard to traffic rules. Wrong side driving and U turns on prohibited roads are rampant. Potholes are all over the place. Add to this a severe scarcity of potable water, the never-ending garbage problem and choking stormwater drains, and the picture gets even worse.

New shopping malls and high-rise apartment complexes are coming up everywhere. But basic amenities such as roads, proper drainage system, potable water, and  footpaths are in a hapless state.

Rush hour traffic

The Marathahalli main road, which houses factory outlets of almost all major brands and dozens of eateries, experiences high-traffic congestion round-the-clock. Every hour is like a rush hour. The road median has several gaps for vehicles to take turns, triggering traffic jams that extend upto the Old Airport or beyond.

Same is the story on Outer Ring Road and adjoining areas such as Doddanekkundi and Garudacharpalya. Says Dr Chandarashekhar, the lone doctor at the Government Veterinary Dispensary and Maternity ward for animals in Doddanekkundi, “There are many dairies in this area and its surroundings. Earlier, people used to  bring their diseased cattle here. Now, due to heavy volume of traffic, animals are not brought here. Instead, the owners merely take medicines from here. If the problem is severe, I end up going with them,” he explains.
At the Garducharpalya - Doddanekkundi traffic signal, traffic jams are the norm. Traffic piles up on either side of the road although four to five traffic police personnel are always at the junction. Even service roads are congested. On many occasions, due to the heavy truck traffic despite a ban on their movements, waiting time at the signal could run up to hours.

No footpaths

Pedestrians struggle to walk on footpaths in almost all the wards. The sidewalks are either broken or encroached by shops extending their wares till the walking space.

This is visible on Marathahalli main road , Whitefield main road, ITPL main road, near Hope Farm Junction, Ramagondanahalli, Varthur, Siddapura, Bellandur main road and other streets.
Most drains deep inside the wards are clogged, filled with garbage and slush. At many places, the stormwater drains merge with the sewage lines, triggering problems of mosquito-breeding and diseases. For instance, in the Belthur Colony of Ward number 83, residents say the open drains and the clogged stormwater drains make it difficult for children to play outside their homes. The stink raised by their sewers makes it tough for pedestrians too.

In Siddapura, there is a severe problem of stagnant water caused by an underground pipeline leakage. The leak, which has not been plugged for days, has led to a pool of stagnant water, eventually becoming a mosquito-breeding ground.

Sample this: The Karnataka Power Corporation Limited layout in ward number 150 lacks most of the civic amenities. There are no underground drains and the waste water is directly let into the stormwater drains.

Also, many other colonies around this layout divert their waste water into this layout, adding to the water stagnation. The adjacent Junnasandra lake site has become a dumping yard. Many roads are yet to be asphalted and the already asphalted ones are in bad condition.

Frothing lakes

Despite the severity of their pollution being highlighted in the media, the Bellandur and Varthur lakes continue to froth. In spite of promises to get the problem sorted out, BBMP authorities and politicians haven’t done much. Those living on the periphery of these lakes continue to suffer from the unbearable stench.

The water bodies, left to decay, are a serious health hazard.  Residents of Bellandur, who live barely 200 metres away from the lake, say that the stink increases in the evening. The children are not allowed to go outside in the evening due to the foul smell. The mosquito menace has become extremely difficult to manage for people in the area.

Same is the case for motorists who use the Varthur-Whitefield main road every day. Often, due to the traffic jams on this road, the motorists are forced to bear the stench emanating from the lake for hours.