Bengaluru: Tucked away in North-West Bengaluru, Mahalakshmi Layout should have been an ideal retreat for Bengalureans wanting to break away from the hustle and bustle of the Central Business District(CBD).
Sadly, it has not been able to emerge as a prestigious city hub because it rains woes in the constituency whenever it rains with the Vrishabhavathi valley which cuts through the middle of the constituency, inevitably getting flooded.
In fact the Vrishabhavathi problem is so serious that during the devastating rains which Mahalakshmi Layout witnessed recently, a temple priest and a mother-daughter duo were washed away in a storm water drain. People of SVK Layout at Kurubarahalli where the priest was washed away, still live in fear of another deadly flood.
"We still can't digest the fact that lives of innocent people were lost for no fault of theirs. They would have been alive this year if the officials concerned had taken measures to build concrete walls along the stormwater drain and desilted them from time to time" said a resident of SVK Layout, who did not wish to be named.
What annoys them all the more is the sad fact that even after so many rain-related deaths, work to set right the stormwater drain has not been taken up at the speed it deserves.
Named after the famous Mahalakshmi temple in the constituency, Mahalakshmi Layout has been facing other issues too including irregular garbage collection, drinking water shortage and the stray dog menace.
Residents complain that they do not get proper supply of Cauvery water and even if they get water, the pressure is too low for their comfort.
Despite all these woes, Mahalakshmi Layout has its plus points.
Mr Ramachandra, a social worker and resident of the area said that they have been faring well with the sitting MLA Mr Gopalaiah of the JD(S) doing his best to ensure basic amenities, library, parks and also develop the slums.
But he agrees that a lot more needs to be done to improve the standards of government schools and also develop the roads. "Public safety is also a major concern. The cops should strengthen their patrolling in the area so that women can easily walk around in the area without any fear of chain snatchers," said Mr Ramachandra.
Encroachment of footpath by hawkers which impedes movement of commuters and traffic has become a major issue in many parts of the constituency including Mahalakshmi Layout, Nagapura, Laggere and Kurubarahalli.
All that the constituency needs, like many others in Bengaluru, is a bit of an extra effort from elected representatives including the MLA and BBMP corporators to provide a qualitative transformation. With the poll fever on, residents are upping the ante for a better deal from their leaders knowing that a discerning electorate could make all the difference between success and failure of any candidate.
