Hanuman statue movement wrecks Bengaluru roads

Basic infrastructure, including newly laid roads leading to the Sri Kodandarama Temple at Kacharakanahalli, were extensively damaged to facilitate the movement of a huge Hanuman statue on Monday.

Transportation of the huge, 750-tonne monolithic structure has damaged basic infrastructure in and around Hennur main road and HBR Layout for the second consecutive day.

Sri Rama Chaitanya Vardhini Trust has taken up the responsibility to transport the 62-feet-tall statue from Kolar to the Sri Kodandarama Temple at Dakshina Ayodhya Devanagiri in HBR Layout. The temple is situated on what was once the Kacharakanahalli Lake, which has now become barren.

The revenue department has filed a case in the Karnataka High Court saying that close to 56 acres of land has been encroached upon by the trust where the monolith is to be installed. The case is still being heard by the high court.

After digging up the road beneath the Hennur railway underpass on Saturday night, the trust damaged a stormwater drain adjacent to the lake by dumping truckloads of mud to create a makeshift pathway for the truck carrying the statue. This was done though a board indicating 'BWSSB work in progress' near the drain was put up.

Along the 1.5 km stretch of 1st Stage, 2nd Block HBR Layout Main Road, at least three JCBs were seen removing dividers and while doing so, the newly laid asphalted road was completely damaged.