It's highway to hell for these residents

Rainwater floods homes as canals, drains are blocked for widening NH-4.

Rain and National Highway-4 have become synonymous with disaster for the residents of Petechamanahalli, Chowdeshwari Nagar, Harohalli and on the fringes of Jayanagar, along Tekal Road in the city.

Reason: the National Highways Authority of India had blocked the stormwater drains, primary canals and sewage canals abutting the road, ahead of the widening project. Moreover, it has not kept its promise of reconstructing the canals and the drains after the completion of the project.

All this has resulted in rainwater entering the houses and farms abutting the canals and the drains. The letter by the City Municipal Council commissioner to the Authority, requesting that the canals and the drains be reconstructed has elicited no response.

So also the protests by residents. The worst sufferers are farmers who have given up their lands for the project.Prior to the national highway widening work, rainwater from one side of it would enter the tank through the canals.

The widening project has prevented this from happening as the canals and the drains have been blocked. 

Presently, the drains have been reconstructed upto the underpass on the Jayanagar-Tekal Road. This was a result of the protest in front of the office of Lanco company, that is undertaking the highway widening project.

With the three-year-old promise not being kept, the residents are now planning to hold protests on Tekal Road to draw the attention of the authorities.