Why leave drain open, BBMP?

Bengaluru: BBMP officials have made a mess of 80 Feet Road near Rajendra Nagar opposite to Passport Seva Kendra in Koramangala. They have dug up one side of the road for laying drainage pipes and also to desilt the existing drain, but have left the work incomplete for over one-and-a-half months, causing traffic pile-ups on the narrow stretch and posing a danger to pedestrians.

Area residents said that the BBMP and BWSSB officials dug up the road to carry out the drain work and also to 
clean the drain, but the work has not progressed for a long time. Vimala Kumar, a resident of Rajendra Nagar, said, “The work started in September and the officials told us that it would be completed by October-end, but nothing has been done till now. 

They removed the stone slabs covering the drains and left them on the road. They also dug up the road next to the drai, making the narrow road narrower.”

He said, “The uncovered drain has become a breeding ground for mosquitoes, posing a health risk to all of us. The traffic jams have increased as one side of the road is blocked. Pedestrians have no pavement to walk on and are forced to use the road, putting their lives at risk. We have brought it to the notice of local BBMP officials, but nothing has been done.”

Traffic congestion during peak hours is unbearable and even the traffic police are helpless, said Murali Kumar, who owns a grocery shop on the stretch. 

“As one side of the road is blocked, the traffic piles up. The dust and pollution from vehicles is making our life miserable. Traffic policemen keep complaining about irritation due to dust. But no official has visited the spot to inspect the situation,” he said.

The BBMP zone engineer, who did not want to be named, said that heavy rains throughout October have delayed the works. “The rains caused havoc as every time we cleared the drain, it used to fill with rain water and we were not able to carry out the work. Now that the rains have stopped, the work will be completed soon.”