10 yrs on, Dasarahalli still waits for enough water

Meet anyone living in any of the eight wards in the Dasarahalli Assembly constituency in northern Bengaluru, we bet they have a problem with water supply.

Residents expressed concerns about the lack of infrastructure in the constituency at ‘Janaspandana-Citizens For Change’ programme organised by DH and Prajavani on Saturday.

Even a decade after Dasarahalli was included in Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) limits, the neighbourhood on the city’s northern outskirts continues to suffer from basic problems such as an erratic water supply, lack of drinking water connections, bad roads, poor bus connectivity, stinking blackspots and troubles in getting khatas for properties.

“The water problem here is unbearable. The BWSSB has dug up borewells all over the place but water connection haven’t been provided. Water pipelines are filled with mud. We know there are 772 sites in the colony and at least 406 houses are still waiting for water connections,” said Dr Sudha Rani, a resident of Kirloskar Layout, Bagalkunte.

Responding to the problem, Bagalkunte corporator K Narasimha Nayak said: “Dasarahalli does not have supply from Sigadahalli. We are supplying water by borewells but we have to push the project further.”

If this is one part of the problem, the roads dug up for laying pipelines have not yet been restored. “The BWSSB work near Sapthagiri College got over eight months ago and the road is now full of potholes. Why can’t agencies coordinate and complete the work,” asked Mohan Krishna, from Shettihalli.

K Nagabhushan, the Shettihalli corporator, said the work of laying water pipelines in 110 villages was a huge project and would take time. But he promised to get the road restored.

Mohan Krishna, another resident, pointed out that the delay in road-widening near the Chikkabanavara railway station was causing severe traffic jams. Nagabhushan responded: “The railways is blocking the road-widening project. The sanctioned funds of Rs 2.5 crore have been kept on hold.”

That’s not all. Localities under the Dasarahalli constituency face a severe garbage disposal problem and overflowing drainage lines. The problem is especially bad near the Sharada Vidyalaya School. Govind Shastry, school manager, said: “There are close to 4,000 parents who drop off their children and find it extremely difficult to pass by the place. They worry about their children’s health.”

Nagabhushan instructed the officials to resolve the issue in a month.

Residents also complained about the lack of proper medical facilities as there is no proper hospital in the area. “We need to go to the city if we need proper treatment,” said A M Manjunath, from Shettihalli.