'Symbol of filth': Bengaluru redditor flags garbage stench at Silk Board, triggers civic discussion

The now-viral Reddit post was shared online with the striking question, "Why this disgusting garbage dump and the horrible smell has become a symbol of Silk Board junction?"

Bengaluru’s Silk Board junction, notorious for its infamous traffic snarls, is now in the news for another reason - the unbearable stench of garbage.

Recently, a concerned individual passing by the junction flagged the unsightly and unhygienic conditions of the area. The user took to Reddit to voice concerns about the erratic garbage disposal and the sewage issues, suggesting that these have become a "symbol" of the location.

Accompanying the post, the user shared a photo showing piles of garbage and sewage at Silk Board, with an excavator seen clearing waste near the busy underpass. The post raised a crucial question: “Why this disgusting garbage dump and the horrible smell has become a symbol of Silk Board Junction?”

Take a look at Reddit post below

The user, an office-goer who has been using this route daily for over four years, expressed frustration. “Was it supposed to be a temporary thing or will it be permanent?” he wrote. “I have been in Bengaluru for more than four years, and this stench has always made me feel horrible during my daily office commute.”

Commuters, already accustomed to the area’s traffic woes, often resort to wearing masks or holding handkerchiefs to cope with the nauseating smell from the garbage truck or sewage drains. But it is the busy nature of the street, coupled with frequent traffic halts, that has led to frustration among both commuters and Reddit users.

Netizens react to sewage at Bengaluru's Silk Board junction.

Comments on viral post about garbage dump at Bengaluru's Silk Board junction.

"Who's dumping the garbage here?" one netizen asked. "Do we really not deserve good infrastructure, better governance, and less corruption?" another user commented.

Civic officials have yet to respond to the concerns raised in the now-viral post.

In a recent report, Deccan Herald highlighted Bengaluru’s growing garbage crisis, citing thousands of black spots across the city. It pointed out that while solid waste management has always been a challenge, citizens have come to terms with the situation, with some even using the garbage hotspots as landmarks for giving directions.

Notably, following the formation of five new municipal corporations in Bengaluru, authorities launched a cleanliness drive earlier this September. The drive saw workers desilting drains and clearing garbage black spots across the city.

Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Ltd (BSWML) also intensified efforts to combat waste-related issues. According to a Deccan Herald report, the BSWML cracked down on single-use plastics, seizing about 24 tonnes of waste and imposing fines worth Rs 38 lakh since August.

Previously, the BBMP (Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike) and BSWML have focused on various waste management parameters, including street sweeping, sewage networks, the cleanliness of public toilets, and the remediation of dumpsites.