Things people want corporators to do in the first six months
In the run-up to the polls, aspiring corporators literally promised the moon to Bengalureans. They said they would deliver within three months if they won. Now that the results have been declared, Bangalore Mirror takes a look at some of the demands vociferously made by residents of different areas. BM will revisit these areas after three months to review the progress made on the problems listed out by the residents by respective corporators
Ward 151 (Koramangala) Illegal constructions
A posh area of Bengaluru, Koramangala is witnessing rampant illegal construction. The ST Bed was formed around 20 years ago, yet many revenue pockets have been left stranded. No corporator or official has tried to include these pockets under the BBMP. An old structure is demolished and a four-storey structure is built in its place without leaving a setback and without a sanctioned plan. Patronised as they are by senior politicians, these structures come up without proper inspection, resulting in poor construction quality and inadequate civic amenities, while the population gets very dense. I want to see all such illegal construction curbed in the next six months. Also, though most of Koramangala is well developed, there is a huge problem of stray cattle on roads here. It is the responsibility of the local corporator and sitting MLA to ensure that this menace is curbed. Muralidhar Rao, ST Bed Residents Association, Koramangala
Ward 84 (Whitefield) Traffic
The state government, corporators and BBMP officials need to look beyond development of peripheral roads. After the ITPL was set up, government machinery has ignored this area. I am a resident of Whitefield and have closely observed the area since 1995. It is high time that the civic agencies get their act together, particularly to improve the transport system. A railway line runs through Whitefield, but is not connected to any part of the city. The Ring Road is in bad shape because of non-maintenance. Increased buses as a rapid transport system in Bellandur and HSR Layout were supposed to improve public transportation. Expenditure of this project doubled from `40 crore to `80 crore during implementation but the buses are not visible on the roads. The priority for the corporator should be to provide bus shelters in the IT corridor, and of course increase the number of buses here. The quality of Varthur main road and ITPL road may be good but the Nallurahalli road and Bore Well Road are in real bad shape. Also, footpaths need to be improved. The bad condition of roads could be temporary if they are restored after BWSSB (Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board) completes the ongoing pipeline work here. Pranav Zha, Resident
I am staying in the residential layout of Manyata Tech Park since 2009. I have not seen a tar road being laid. In the first six months under the new BBMP, I would love to see new roads being laid in the layout. Nestled between the high rises of Manyata Embassy Business Park and Mantri Developers close to the Ring Road in North Bengaluru is Manyata Residency, which claims to house some of the highest tax-paying businessmen and government officials in the city. It is still riddled with many civic problems. We don’t have streetlights on many roads, and their condition is pathetic. Our layout does not get BWSSB water yet, though pipelines were laid long back. Parks in our layout are not maintained properly. Bird Park was a park set up under the ‘Bring back the birds to Bangalore’ scheme of the forest department. Unauthorised installation of play equipment in this park has endangered birds nesting here. We have a severe problem of stray dogs. There are two to three dozen dogs that roam about the area in packs. Some roads in our area do not have drains. Commercial vehicles and taxis catering to the adjoining tech park create an acute parking menace. Large numbers of taxis and tempos sit on our roads all day, creating all sorts of problems for us. Viswadharini Kumar, Resident, Manyata Tech Park
Ward 19 (Sanjaynagar) Walkable footpaths
Sanjaynagar is a residential locality 8 km from the central business district to the north of Bengaluru. The Sanjaynagar main road is narrow for the thickly populated area, and does not have walkable footpaths along its sides. Due to this, elders and children are not safe on this road. This issue has to be first addressed as speeding vehicles pose a grave threat to pedestrians here. Door-to-door garbage collection should be 100 per cent here. When garbage leaves a house, it should only go to the BBMP collector. This will ensure a clean neighbourhood free of diseases like chikungunya and dengue. Enough and good quality drinking water must be provided to the area. Technology should be used to increase efficient and transparent public services. I would love for the newly-elected corporator to at least solve some of these issues in the first six months. Sathya Sankaran, Founder member, Praja Raag
Ward 85 (Doddenekundi) Road
Residents of this ward are an aggrieved lot over the un-motorable and un-walkable approach road. Autorickshaws, cabs and even school vans refuse to come here, making daily commuting almost impossible for us. Every day, one vehicle or the other gets damaged, so bad are the roads here, and have been that way for years. Even walking on them becomes an impossible task when it rains, for they become slushy and slippery, posing risk to both pedestrian and motorist. Amith Singhania, Resident
Ward 117 (Shanthinagar) Sewage
We have a severe problem of sewage overflowing from manholes, and this gets worse when it rains. While sewage spills over on roads at other times, it gets into our houses during monsoon. The stench is so bad that even breathing becomes difficult. Its effect on our health, especially that of our children, you can imagine. We have been complaining over this for two years now, to no avail. Even our borewells are contaminated with this muck. Usha Nagraj, Resident
Ward 191 (Singasandra) Water
Residents of this ward have not been getting enough water even to drink. Every time we file a complaint, we are told that water will come the next day or next week, but there is never any supply. Despite paying for the non-available Cauvery water, we end up buying tankers of water at exorbitant rates. There is a borewell in the area, but it does not yield water anymore. We want the elected representative to help us in getting a functioning water connection. Ramaiah S, Resident
Ward 121 (Binnypet) Stray dogs
Our biggest problem is that of stray dogs. People here live in fear as children have time and again been bitten by canines. I too have been a victim once. Packs of them roam about, making it impossible for visitors as well as residents to live here in peace. The din they create in the nights is another misery. We find it very difficult to sleep during nights, what with these barking away. Added to this is the mosquito menace. I have never once seen insecticide being sprayed here, nor has there been a move to sanitise the area. Mohan B, Resident
Ward 3 (Attur) Garbage
Dumped and rotting garbage makes it difficult for us to live here. Not only does it stink unbearably, it obviously is very unhealthy for all who breathe this air. Our children are all the time falling ill and being hospitalised, something we can’t even afford. Any amount of complaining to the authorities and elected representatives does not evoke action. We request that garbage in our ward be cleared regularly so that we can breathe fresh air. Sachidanand J, Resident
* 19.11 lakh men voters * 17.02 lakh women voters
MLAs’ sons make debut
The BBMP election is usually considered a battleground by legislators to groom their children for a political career. This mantra proved successful for two Congress MLAs. Hosakote MLA MTB Nagaraj’s 30-year-old son, BN Nitish Purushottama, registered victory from Garudacharapalya, while Chikpet MLA RV Devaraj’s son RV Yuvraj tasted victory from Sudhamanagar ward.
The Oldest
MB Dhwarkanath has become the oldest corporator in the BBMP. Although he contested for the corporator’s election for the first time, the 67-year-old claims he is from a political background as his grandfather, MV Muniratnam Naidu, was a member of Mahatma Gandhi’s camp. “I am aware of the civic problems of my ward; garbage clearance will be given priority,” he said.
The Youngest
Twenty-one year-old R Mahalakshmi, who registered her victory from Hosahalli ward in Vijayanagar assembly constituency, is the youngest ever corporator in BBMP history. Mahalakshmi, who won on a BJP ticket, is currently studying BSC second year from Kuvempu correspondence college and is inspired by her father H Ravindra, a former corporator from Vijaynagar ward. “It was both my father and former minister Somanna’s inspiration which encouraged me to enter politics. I am aware of the civic issues. My father has done a lot of developmental works in the ward and I will carry his legacy. Pending works will also be given priority,” she said.
Ward 151 (Koramangala) Illegal constructions
A posh area of Bengaluru, Koramangala is witnessing rampant illegal construction. The ST Bed was formed around 20 years ago, yet many revenue pockets have been left stranded. No corporator or official has tried to include these pockets under the BBMP. An old structure is demolished and a four-storey structure is built in its place without leaving a setback and without a sanctioned plan. Patronised as they are by senior politicians, these structures come up without proper inspection, resulting in poor construction quality and inadequate civic amenities, while the population gets very dense. I want to see all such illegal construction curbed in the next six months. Also, though most of Koramangala is well developed, there is a huge problem of stray cattle on roads here. It is the responsibility of the local corporator and sitting MLA to ensure that this menace is curbed. Muralidhar Rao, ST Bed Residents Association, Koramangala
Ward 84 (Whitefield) Traffic
The state government, corporators and BBMP officials need to look beyond development of peripheral roads. After the ITPL was set up, government machinery has ignored this area. I am a resident of Whitefield and have closely observed the area since 1995. It is high time that the civic agencies get their act together, particularly to improve the transport system. A railway line runs through Whitefield, but is not connected to any part of the city. The Ring Road is in bad shape because of non-maintenance. Increased buses as a rapid transport system in Bellandur and HSR Layout were supposed to improve public transportation. Expenditure of this project doubled from `40 crore to `80 crore during implementation but the buses are not visible on the roads. The priority for the corporator should be to provide bus shelters in the IT corridor, and of course increase the number of buses here. The quality of Varthur main road and ITPL road may be good but the Nallurahalli road and Bore Well Road are in real bad shape. Also, footpaths need to be improved. The bad condition of roads could be temporary if they are restored after BWSSB (Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board) completes the ongoing pipeline work here. Pranav Zha, Resident
Ward 23 (Nagawara) Manyata Tech Park wants black top
I am staying in the residential layout of Manyata Tech Park since 2009. I have not seen a tar road being laid. In the first six months under the new BBMP, I would love to see new roads being laid in the layout. Nestled between the high rises of Manyata Embassy Business Park and Mantri Developers close to the Ring Road in North Bengaluru is Manyata Residency, which claims to house some of the highest tax-paying businessmen and government officials in the city. It is still riddled with many civic problems. We don’t have streetlights on many roads, and their condition is pathetic. Our layout does not get BWSSB water yet, though pipelines were laid long back. Parks in our layout are not maintained properly. Bird Park was a park set up under the ‘Bring back the birds to Bangalore’ scheme of the forest department. Unauthorised installation of play equipment in this park has endangered birds nesting here. We have a severe problem of stray dogs. There are two to three dozen dogs that roam about the area in packs. Some roads in our area do not have drains. Commercial vehicles and taxis catering to the adjoining tech park create an acute parking menace. Large numbers of taxis and tempos sit on our roads all day, creating all sorts of problems for us. Viswadharini Kumar, Resident, Manyata Tech Park
Ward 19 (Sanjaynagar) Walkable footpaths
Sanjaynagar is a residential locality 8 km from the central business district to the north of Bengaluru. The Sanjaynagar main road is narrow for the thickly populated area, and does not have walkable footpaths along its sides. Due to this, elders and children are not safe on this road. This issue has to be first addressed as speeding vehicles pose a grave threat to pedestrians here. Door-to-door garbage collection should be 100 per cent here. When garbage leaves a house, it should only go to the BBMP collector. This will ensure a clean neighbourhood free of diseases like chikungunya and dengue. Enough and good quality drinking water must be provided to the area. Technology should be used to increase efficient and transparent public services. I would love for the newly-elected corporator to at least solve some of these issues in the first six months. Sathya Sankaran, Founder member, Praja Raag
Ward 85 (Doddenekundi) Road
Residents of this ward are an aggrieved lot over the un-motorable and un-walkable approach road. Autorickshaws, cabs and even school vans refuse to come here, making daily commuting almost impossible for us. Every day, one vehicle or the other gets damaged, so bad are the roads here, and have been that way for years. Even walking on them becomes an impossible task when it rains, for they become slushy and slippery, posing risk to both pedestrian and motorist. Amith Singhania, Resident
Ward 117 (Shanthinagar) Sewage
We have a severe problem of sewage overflowing from manholes, and this gets worse when it rains. While sewage spills over on roads at other times, it gets into our houses during monsoon. The stench is so bad that even breathing becomes difficult. Its effect on our health, especially that of our children, you can imagine. We have been complaining over this for two years now, to no avail. Even our borewells are contaminated with this muck. Usha Nagraj, Resident
Ward 191 (Singasandra) Water
Residents of this ward have not been getting enough water even to drink. Every time we file a complaint, we are told that water will come the next day or next week, but there is never any supply. Despite paying for the non-available Cauvery water, we end up buying tankers of water at exorbitant rates. There is a borewell in the area, but it does not yield water anymore. We want the elected representative to help us in getting a functioning water connection. Ramaiah S, Resident
Ward 121 (Binnypet) Stray dogs
Our biggest problem is that of stray dogs. People here live in fear as children have time and again been bitten by canines. I too have been a victim once. Packs of them roam about, making it impossible for visitors as well as residents to live here in peace. The din they create in the nights is another misery. We find it very difficult to sleep during nights, what with these barking away. Added to this is the mosquito menace. I have never once seen insecticide being sprayed here, nor has there been a move to sanitise the area. Mohan B, Resident
Ward 3 (Attur) Garbage
Dumped and rotting garbage makes it difficult for us to live here. Not only does it stink unbearably, it obviously is very unhealthy for all who breathe this air. Our children are all the time falling ill and being hospitalised, something we can’t even afford. Any amount of complaining to the authorities and elected representatives does not evoke action. We request that garbage in our ward be cleared regularly so that we can breathe fresh air. Sachidanand J, Resident
* 19.11 lakh men voters * 17.02 lakh women voters
MLAs’ sons make debut
The BBMP election is usually considered a battleground by legislators to groom their children for a political career. This mantra proved successful for two Congress MLAs. Hosakote MLA MTB Nagaraj’s 30-year-old son, BN Nitish Purushottama, registered victory from Garudacharapalya, while Chikpet MLA RV Devaraj’s son RV Yuvraj tasted victory from Sudhamanagar ward.
The Oldest
MB Dhwarkanath has become the oldest corporator in the BBMP. Although he contested for the corporator’s election for the first time, the 67-year-old claims he is from a political background as his grandfather, MV Muniratnam Naidu, was a member of Mahatma Gandhi’s camp. “I am aware of the civic problems of my ward; garbage clearance will be given priority,” he said.
The Youngest
Twenty-one year-old R Mahalakshmi, who registered her victory from Hosahalli ward in Vijayanagar assembly constituency, is the youngest ever corporator in BBMP history. Mahalakshmi, who won on a BJP ticket, is currently studying BSC second year from Kuvempu correspondence college and is inspired by her father H Ravindra, a former corporator from Vijaynagar ward. “It was both my father and former minister Somanna’s inspiration which encouraged me to enter politics. I am aware of the civic issues. My father has done a lot of developmental works in the ward and I will carry his legacy. Pending works will also be given priority,” she said.
