Nightmare on Chickpet roads as sewage line work starts after 12 years

In a development that shows the administration's response to civic woes in the tech capital of the country, work on the sanitary sub-line in the entire Gandhinagar Assembly constituency has started 12 years after it was sanctioned.

Yes. The BWSSB had proposed the work on the sanitary sub-line from Majestic to JC Road via Chickpet. The project was sanctioned in 2008, but, according to local leaders, no contractor came forward to take up the work, which was eventually forgotten.

The project got a rebirth a month ago when tenders were awarded. But the digging of the road during the rainy session has come as a big inconvenience to people in the area, especially businessmen in Chickpet and JC Road. The construction is expected to last at least two months but a delay is not ruled out.

Former Chickpet corporator Leela Shivakumar said the existing sanitary line was 30 years old and confirmed that the work started only last month.

Bangalore Central MP P C Mohan has written to BBMP administrator Gaurav Gupta on the hardships people are facing due to bad roads and ongoing BWSSB works in Sultanpet, Thigalarpet, Balepet, Police Road, and Akkipet.

On September 9, a 65-year-old old shopkeeper suffered a fatal heart attack after slipping and falling in front of his store, located on a muddy stretch of Police Road near the Chickpet metro station.

Two days later, a woman and her grandson suffered injuries after falling on the same spot, thanks to the dug-up roads.

Mohammed Shabbir, a garage mechanic, said their Covid-impacted business had been further hit by the pathetic roads. "Our lives have become miserable. Vehicles get stuck in the muddy roads. Motorcyclists and pedestrians are slipping and falling on the road," he said.