Encroachments on Siddaiah road in Bengaluru
During peak hours, vehicles move very slowly on the road.
Bengaluru: The narrow stretch of Siddaiah Road between Lal Bagh Road and K.H. Double Road tests the patience of road users. On the already-narrow road, footpaths on either side have been encroached by shops, forcing pedestrians to walk on the main road risking their lives and adding to the existing traffic congestion.
Mr Rama Rao, who uses the road to go to his office in Koramangala, said, “During peak hours, vehicles move very slowly on the road. This is because of encroachments by shops and establishments on both sides of the road.
Even during peak hours, shopkeepers are busy loading and unloading goods from vehicles parked on the road, obstructing the free movement of vehicles on the already-narrow road. They can do it in the night or early morning so that the traffic is not affected.”
He said, “A few years ago, the BBMP had cleared all the encroachments on the footpaths, but they are back now.” Siddaiah Road is the go-to place for all those who want to buy new and old spare parts, including engines, horns, gears, radiators and vehicle bodies. The shopkeepers display their ware on the footpaths, leaving no space for pedestrians.
Adding to the mess is the bad condition of the road, said Mr Vadivel, a resident of Doddamavalli. “The road is in very poor condition for the past few months. Every other day, the road is dug up and left unattended. No government agency is bothered about filling up the potholes,” he said.
The problems of Siddaiah Road, which falls under the Sudhama Nagar BBMP ward, do not end here. The other main issue is the garbage trucks. “Mini-autos and pushcarts bring collected garbage and transfer it to BBMP trucks right in front of the Family Court. The trucks loaded with garbage do not leave the spot soon after they are full. The drivers leave the trucks parked on the road for hours. This is causing severe health problems for us,” said Ms Valliyamma, a resident of Annipura.
No idea of the problem, will visit spot: Prabhakar S
DC interacts with Chief Engineer, South Zone, BBMP
The footpaths on either side of Siddaiah Road between Lal Bagh Road and K.H. Road have been encroached by shopkeepers and establishments…
I have no idea about the encroachments. I have to visit the spot to find out exactly what the problem is and how pedestrians and commuters are affected. Action will be taken after my visit.
Commuters who use the road complain that the road is in poor condition and has many potholes
Siddaiah Road falls under the ‘major roads’ category. The work relating to repairing the roads has to be taken up by the BBMP Major Roads wing.
Residents complain that trucks loaded with garbage are parked on the road for hours on end…
I will check with our officials as to why the garbage trucks are parked for a long time. I will ensure that the trucks will head to designated dumpyards immediately after they are full.