Bengaluru: Kanakapura Road horror for pedestrians

Bengaluru: Earlier this year, the residents at JP Nagar under the umbrella of Kanakapura Road Apartments Movement of Change (KARAMOC) staged a protest against the dilapidated condition of roads and footpaths.

The footpath from Sarakki signal to Yelachenahalli metro station are either encroached or do not exist. Despite the issue being highlighted several times in the past the BBMP has done little to mitigate the inconvenience caused to pedestrians.

The residents even pointed out that though the road comes under BBMP, whenever the approach Palike officials they put the blame on National Highways and the BMRCL.

“I had always shown documents which show that BBMP has given permission for laying OFC cables, GAIL gas pipeline work, BWSSB etc. But, when it comes to maintenance of road, they refuse to own it. No work has been done,” said Aleem, a member of KARAMOC.

In April, the National Highways Sub Division, Bengaluru wrote to Aleem saying that the reach between Sarakki signal up to Nice Road junction was under the maintenance of the BBMP, Bommanahalli division.

Now the BBMP has accepted that the road comes under them. “There is no footpath at all. The pedestrians and the vehicle drivers find it difficult to commute. The entire road should be asphalted as the patchwork repair hardly lasts. The residents need a proper footpath,” said Shishir Kapoor, a local resident.

“The officers belonging to major roads of  BBMP have taken an unreasonably long time of more than 6 months to solve a pressing problem like this even though its has been brought to their notice. It is unfortunate that they realise the problem only after some serious accidents happen,” Aleem added