BBMP polls: 198 wards on the sick list!

Bengaluru: Bengaluru East, Bommanahalli, Byatarayanapura. Bengaluru has eight such zones, each unique in its own way with 25 wards under each of them. While one is the IT belt, another has an old world charm, some are bustling commercial hubs, others major residential localities. The problems in each zone have striking similarities like the ubiquitous traffic mess, stinking garbage and water shortage. Team DC travels to every nook and cranny in the city.

It’s not safe in Bengaluru East

“We face the average woes of the average Bengalurean,” remarked Sujit Pavathran, a member of the Residents’ Association Committee in Richard's Town. Safety is a major issue in this area, which forms the Cantonment area, the heart of old Bengaluru, along with Tannery Road.

"We have been calling the candidates one by one and talking to them about their vision. They promise you the stars and deliver nothing in the end," said Shashidhar, President of the Richard's Town Residents' Association. The association has provided candidates with a list of issues that need looking into, including bad pavements, bad roads, traffic management and garbage clearance. "Chain snatching has escalated to bag-snatching around these areas. Another issue is that neigbouring areas vary hugely in terms of development."

Filmmaker Mithun Bhat, who lives in Lingarajapuram, says that roads are a problem that won't go away. "The authorities tend to simply coat the road with one more layer of tar, but work needs to start from the scratch," he said. "Traffic is bad because the Hennur flyover is the only connection to areas like Kammanahalli. The government needs to plan things with a 10-year vision, because the number of cars on the roads is only going to increase," he added.

Major problems

• Safety
• Removal of the illegal slaughterhouse
• Bad roads and pavements
• Vendors in Frazer Town and Richard's Town areas
• Traffic bottlenecks around Lingarajapuram, Nandi Durg Road and R.T. Nagar

Total number of wards: 13,72,012
The area is divided into: 44 wards

All froth and fury in Mahadevapura

Once a cluster of villages, the Mahadevpura zone today has become a major IT hub, and the demand for better infrastructure has seen a tremendous leap from various sections of people. Traffic jams are a major problem here and bottlenecks at Marathahalli Junction, Graphite India, Hope Farm, K.R. Puram and Varthur Main Road have been worrying the residents here for long. Not just traffic mess, even issues like uncleared garbage, bad roads, lack of footpaths, polluted lakes, irregular state-run transport and lack of streetlights have been dogging the area for years now.

Over 3-4 lakh people travel through this zone during peak hours, but the roads have remained in a pathetic state. Residents have been demanding motorable service roads to make their commute easy, but the authorities have refused to help. Mr Rajeev Kumar, a commuter said, “I stay in Koramangala and I take almost two hours to reach my office in ITPL. The traffic mess coupled with bad roads has been a major problem.”

A campaign has been launched for a cleaner Bellandur Lake, but the situation seems to be getting worse over time. Untreated sewage and industrial effluents continue to flow into the lake. Now, the foam and froth from the lake is spilling on the road and blocking the way for commuters.

Major problems

• Trafficjams
• Bad roads
• Polluted lakes
• Lack of footpaths
• Lack of streetlights

Total number of wards: 17
Total population: 8,66,346

Their wealth doesn’t make a difference here

The BBMP west zone, which has 44 wards, mostly comprises old Bengaluru. From Majestic to K.R. Maket to upmarket Palace Guttahalli to Maruthi Mandir, it covers a large area. AICC general secretary B.K. Hariprasad, state food and civil supplies minister Dinesh Gundurao, former ministers S. Suresh Kumar and V. Somanna are a few top political leaders who belong to this area.

The major election issue in all these wards is water, infrastructure and garbage clearance. Residents are eagerly waiting for the launch of Namma Metro service between Mysuru Road and M.G. Road, which is expected to largely decongest most parts of this zone.

The residents are disappointed with the response of BBMP officials to dengue and other diseases. Garbage disposal is still a big challenge in majority of the wards, especially in Subhashnagar, which covers Majestic, KR Market etc. In areas like Prakashnagar, Manjunathnagar, Okalipuram, Srirampur and K.R. Market, people also cited law and order issues as one of the major problems.

Major problems

• Dengue and other fevers are on the rise. Locals want immediate action plan, like fogging and treatment
• Delay in the launch of MG Road-Mysuru Road Metro train service
• Garbage disposal and waste segregation
• Delay in the completion of Okalipuram eight-lane corridor
• Repair and maintenance of roads

Total number of wards: 44
Total population: 13,64,765

In city’s South, long wait, no Metro yet

The Metro corridor has been completed, but the citizens have been waiting for long to see trains chugging. Traffic congestion is a major problem in the area as battered roads make movement of vehicles difficult on these stretches. Residents complain that garbage clearance is an issue too. The long-delayed Metro Rail work running through Vijayanagar, Magadi Road, JP Nagar and other areas has left the zone in tatters.

With 44 wards, it is one of the biggest zones in the BBMP. The flooding of Puttenahalli Lake in 2005 highlighted the problems of encroachments in lakebeds. The knee-jerk reaction of officials to demolish structures has not helped resolve the issue. Successive corporators have failed secure the boundaries of lakes and rejuvenate them. This has led to contamination of groundwater,” said Umadevi Devaraj, a resident of JP Nagar.

Jayanagar, Kumaraswamy Layout and BTM Layout have better roads and continuous water supply, but these areas are dogged by traffic jams. Allowing mixed development has wrecked the area completely, she said.

Major problems

• Traffic congestion
• Overflowing drains
• Stray dog menace
• Video game hubs
• Poorly maintained parks

Total number of wards: 44
Total population: 13,88,372

Yelahanka has it all but what about safety?

The Yelahanka zone is one of the best-developed in Bengaluru in terms of infrastructure. Good roads, relatively more efficient traffic management and good connectivity to the airport are all strong points in the Yelahanka zone. However, the area is still very rural and markedly unsafe.

"It's very difficult to find basic amenities like medical shops and ATMs in the residential areas. The area is very desolate and it's impossible for a girl to go there by herself," said Rumi, an engineering student who lives and studies in Yelahanka New Town. Safety is a pressing concern because the area has grown into a hub for engineering colleges. "There is a lot of construction work happening and there are workers milling about the place, which is one of the safety issues. The bus network is excellent, but there are no autos, so one can get stuck in the area with no way to get out," she added.  

In Byatarayanapura, the government proposed a skywalk earlier this year, to ease things out for pedestrians who make their way across the road, which leads to KIA. However, the work stopped after the foundation was dug and a sheet of tin foil earmarks the other end of the skywalk.

With no work going on, this section is taken over by transvestites after dark, say citizens. They tin sheet provides a convenient cover for them to lure clientele. During the day, it doubles as a urinal.

Major issues

• Safety
• Lack of basic amenities
• No autos

Total number of wards: 41,9914
The area is divided into: 11 wards

RR Nagar: Where are the pourakarmikas?

Deriving its name from the popular Rajarajeshwari temple, the area Rajrajeshwari Nagar is one of the fast growing suburbs on the fringes of South Bengaluru. The zone spreads over 14 wards, starting from Jalahalli, J.P Park including Jnana Bharati, Laggere and extends up to Kengeri and Herohalli.

Although the zone has commercial hubs like Yeshwantpur and Jalahalli, it lacks uniform development. Areas like Hemmigepura, Dodda Bidarakallu and Herohalli have still not shed their rural ambience.    

The residents in most of the areas in RR Nagar zone often complain about garbage management. They rue that pourakarmikas are just ‘guest visitors’ and without a push of Rs 50 into their pockets, garbage doesn’t get cleared from most of the houses.

Apart from garbage-related issues, the zone suffers from poor infrastructure. Overflowing drains and water-logged roads are an everyday affair during monsoons. In some parts, commercial establishments have penetrated residential zones, resulting in high vehicular traffic in interior areas of Kengeri, Ullalu and Kottigepalya. “The unprecedented growth of the zone has resulted in a number of infrastructure issues. We need better administration and distribution of funds. The allocated funds for each ward in this zone are not optimally used. We need comprehensive development,” said Ms Shyama R., a resident of Rajarajeshwari Nagar. 

Major issues

• Garbage
• Potholes
• Maintenance of roads
• Stray dog menace
• Poor streetlights

Total number of wards: 6,74,856
The area is divided into: 14 wards

Dasarahalli: Enough mosquitoes but no water

Mosquito menace, water scarcity and poor infrastructure -- these are the  major complaints of the residents of Dasarahalli zone.

This zone includes wards like the Peenya induatrial area, Rajgopal nagar,  T Dasarahalli, Bagalkunte, Chokkasandra, Mallasandra, Hegganahalli and other areas. Mention the BBMP election and the residents’ instant reaction is a demand for adequate, potable water supply. They also want a respite from the troublesome, rampant disease-causing mosquitoes.

"The ground water is hard and we don’t get any water supply from the Cauvery.” These problems frequently translate into health issues. “Visit any school and you’ll find children with teeth problems," says Mrs. Rukmini Shrikrishna, a teacher. "But scores of interchanges are causing traffic problems every day," said Raghu Rao, an IT professional. Peenya industrial area, which falls under Dasarahalli zone, has hundreds of factories employing several thousand workers. The majority are garment factories.

"ESI has its branch in the area. BMTC has also launched new services. Compared to a few years ago, this area has developed considerably," said a garment factory employee. "Pollution is a major issue. Even the quality of the underground water is declining," he added.

Major issues

• Mosquitoes
• Hard water; No potable water supply to majority of areas
• Air pollution in and around Peenya industrial area
• Traffic jam on the National Highway which connects Bengaluru-Hassan and Mangalore
• Street dog menace in the inner localities

Total number of wards: 3,80,626
The area is divided into: 8 wards

Bommanahalli: Get us lights, please!

Majority of the wards under Bommanahalli zone are newly added areas and they lack even basic facilities. Residents in these areas suffer from water scarcity, uncleared garbage, untreated sewage entering lakes, lack of drainage, lack of pavements, stray dog menace, potholed roads, blinking streetlights, lack of transport facilities and messy roads.

Garbage clearance has been a major problem here, like many other areas in the city. Residents, especially in areas like Begur, Bilekahalli and Mangammama Palya, have been facing mosquito problem. Though they have been asking the authorities to clean the storm water drains and garbage, nothing has been done. Ms Radhika Devi, a resident, said, “Many storm water drains are chocked with waste and it needs urgent cleaning. But the authorities don’t seem to care.”

The zone has some of the most beautiful lakes in the city, like Begur lake, Arekere Lake and Subramanyapura Lake, but all of them have been polluted with untreated sewage. These lakes have also reduced in size because of large-scale encroachments. Mr Vadiraj K, a resident, said, “We used to go swimming in these lakes earlier and people used to catch fish here. Today there is hardly any water and even this little water is filled with sewage. We want to see these lakes alive and fresh, like how it was many years ago.”

Major issues

• Garbage disposal
• Lack of drainage system
• Lack of proper transport facilities
• Stray dogs
• Polluted lakes

Total number of wards: 7,63,003
The area is divided into: 16 wards