Siddaiah Rd: Drain work spells doom

With the drain revamp work moving at a slow pace on Siddaiah Road in Hombegowda Nagar, both motorists and pedestrians are suffering.  The work began a month ago and it is nowhere near completion. The silt removed from the drains is not carted away and when it rains it goes back into the drain, choking the sewers. The road is also riddled with potholes and quite often bikers fall and get injured

Bengaluru: The poor execution and slow pace of drain revamp work on Siddaiah Road in Hombegowda Nagar is hampering traffic movement and inconveniencing the pedestrians.

The issues range from uncleared silt removed from the side drains lying on the road to overflowing sewage.

"The work to remodel the side drains began some weeks ago. The silt which was removed from the drains were put on the road. Even though the city was getting good rains, civic workers did not bother to cart away the silt," said Manasa, a resident of Hombegowda Nagar.

She compared the civic body’s execution of the project to that of a child trying to build a sand house on the sea shore. "A child builds a house without realising that it will get washed away by the sea waves. The officials know that if it rains the silt will get back to the drain, but they keep repeating the same mistake."

Pedestrians using Siddaiah Road have to bear the brunt as passing vehicles often splash sewage water on them.

"Whether it rains are not, this road is filled with sewage water over flowing from the manhole and the side drains," said Prabhakar R., a commuter who regularly uses the road to reach his office at Wilson Garden.

It's been more than a month since the sewage water started flooding the road, but the officials have not woken up, Prabhakar remarked.

The residents also complained that the work on remodelling the side drains was progressing at a snail’s pace and insisted that it should be finished within a specific time frame.

To add to the commuters’ woes there are potholes on the stretch close to the Double Road TTMC.

As the road is poorly lit and the potholes are filled with gutter water, motorists often run their vehicles into potholes and get injured, complained Mohan, an auto driver. 

Will tell officials to clear silt: Mayor Sampath Raj 
Residents and commuters of Siddaiah Road are complaining that silt being removed from the side drains is being dumped on the road?
I am not aware of the issue. I will direct the officials concerned to take suitable action immediately.

Why is the silt being removed from the drains if it cannot be shifted to some place else place immediately?
The silt removed from the drains is collected on the road and is shifted with the help of trucks after sometime. I will get the silt cleared if it is still not cleared.

Residents say that the work is going on at a slow pace...
The desilting work has been affected due to rain. I will check with the officials and get it completed as soon as possible.