Citizens, govt partner to smarten space under Bengaluru's Iblur flyover

Bengaluru: Once strewn with debris and garbage, the footpath and space beneath the flyover at Iblur Junction have undergone a transformation following a coordinated civic effort involving citizen volunteers, the East Corporation, Namma Metro and Bescom.

The initiative, part of an ongoing project titled 'Project Iblur Jn' and led by groups such as The Ugly Indians, aims to reclaim public spaces for pedestrian use.

On Sunday, more than 100 volunteers, along with about 25 staff members from the BBMP, BMRCL and Bescom, joined hands to clean and beautify the area under the Iblur flyover along the Outer Ring Road (ORR).

The drive included painting the flyover pillars with contemporary, Gen Z-inspired designs and improving footpaths from the Prestige Ferns Galaxy apartment complex to the junction. The clean-up culminated in a mass rangoli event on the pavement.

Arun Pai, coordinator of the Project Walkaluru collective, said the initiative was not “activism”, but a sustained model of citizen partnership.

"This has been going on for 13 or 14 years. It is a coordinated effort to rescue a space that was being used for one purpose and bring it back for public use,” he said, adding that the idea was to create a visible, positive change to deter negative behaviour and promote ownership.

Pai emphasised the importance of involving local residents directly in the effort.

"So, when people come to work, they take ownership. Then they will not allow anything wrong to happen. The important thing in what we do is to get local ownership — ownership in terms of their work — so that they feel responsible,” he explained.

He noted that the project’s broader goal was to ensure long-term maintenance and prevent the space from slipping back into neglect.

The Mahadevapura Task Force, another citizens’ collective, worked alongside BMRCL and Bescom to remove construction debris and damaged infrastructure overnight.

The initiative has since drawn praise on social media, with many users lauding the transformation and suggesting similar drives in other neglected areas.

Volunteers and civic staff cleaned and beautified the area under the flyover on Sunday ending with a mass rangoli display. DH PHOTO

Naresh Bellezea of the Save Sarjapura Residents Forum said a wider plan had been drawn up by five resident organisations for the ORR and Sarjapur area, focusing on improving public mobility and non-motorised transport.

"It is part of a larger plan for us to make 100 kilometres of walkable footpaths across important junctions in the city,” he told DH.