A chaotic mix of mounting vehicular traffic, haphazard parking, encroached footp

Once a spacious and serene residential locality, Vijayanagar Assembly constituency is now bustling with activities. Increasing vehicular traffic and unregulated commercial development have become the bane of residents here.

Almost all eight Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) wards have witnessed rapid commercial development over the last few years. A majority of the residential properties along the main roads has now become commercial. Showrooms, medical shops, boutiques, salons...assortment of other commercial activities have cropped up on all main roads. This has resulted in increase in traffic volume.

In the absence of designated parking space in any of the wards and blatant violation of basement parking rules, vehicles are parked on footpaths and roads. To avoid heavy traffic on main roads, two-wheelers use residential bylanes. Hawkers and roadside eateries occupying the footpath space have only added to the problem. But neither the BBMP nor the traffic police has taken any measure to some relief to the residents.

Vijayanagar constituency comprise eight wards: Kempapura Agrahara, Vijayanagar, Hosahalli, Athiguppe, Bapujinagar, Hampinagar, Gali Anjaneyaswamy Temple and Deepanjalinagar. Six of the eight wards were represented by the BJP corporators in the BBMP council, while two were represented by the Congress. But Vijayanagar Assembly constituency is represented by the Congress MLA. The constituency has a number of slums and under-developed revenue pockets.

“It is high time something is done to regulate vehicular traffic. It has become unbearably chaotic in the entire area. Two-wheelers are parked right in front the houses. It has become impossible for the residents to rest in peace at home because of the noise, mainly due to uninterrupted honking by motorists. The BBMP, the traffic police and the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board should jointly work towards regulating noise pollution in residential areas, ” B K Suresh, a resident of Vijayanagar, said.

The main culprits appear to be multi-storey commercial complexes that dot all main roads. They have not made a provision for basement parking, which is mandatory as per the building byelaws. Interestingly, motorists are not keen on parking their vehicles at the TTMC (Traffic and Transit Management Centre) near Maruti Mandira. Instead, they park on roads right in front of the TTMC, blocking the traffic flow. Efforts to shift vegetable vendors on either side of the service road off Vijayanagar main road failed a couple of years ago.

Residents in places such as Vijayanagar, Bapujinagar, Athiguppe and Hampinagar are grappling with the problem of clogged underground drainage (UGD). The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) has not replaced old UGD pipes over the years. Old pipes, laid about three decades ago, are of smaller diameter. They are unable to withstand the increase in flow of sewage water. The problem is acute in areas where residential apartments have come up in the last few years.

Complaints unanswered

“We have given several representation to the elected representatives urging them to replace UGD lines, but nothing has been done. Clogged drains have led to rodent menace. Rodents are wrecking havoc in the area. They have made life miserable for the residents. The worst affected are those who live in apartments,” Sunanda, a resident of Athiguppe said.

Residents in RPC Layout, Deepanjalinagar and Vijayanagar complained of stray dog problem in their areas. They said owners of small shops feed stray dogs with an intention of ensuring security to their business places. “We also suspect that the stray dogs captured in other areas of the city are being let into RPC Layout. Overnight,  large number of grown-up dogs appear in our area. The BBMP must find a solution to end the stray dog menace in Bengaluru,” M A Allama Prabhu of RPC Layout Resident Forum said.

He said Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme of the BBMP has completely failed to control their breeding. Dog population is fast multiplying, but the BBMP appears to be in deep slumber. Besides, the BBMP should lay down guidelines for owning pet dogs. They have become a nuisance to the residents, he added.

Potholed roads

Roads, especially bylanes, are in poor condition in almost all eight wards. Roads dug up by the BWSSB and optic fiber cable companies in many areas have not been restored. “Many bylanes in Cholarapalya area (Vijayanagar ward) were dug up six months ago. It is impossible to walk on the road when it rains. The BBMP should asphalt the road immediately,” Bhujange Gowda, a resident of Vijayanagar said.

Though house-to-house garbage collection is regular, the residents complained of inefficient handling of waste by pourakarmikas. Residents in many areas segregate dry and wet waste, but the pourakarmikas again mix them. Garbage and debris dumped on roadside are never removed. And roads and footpaths are rarely cleaned. The residents suggested that the BBMP should instal small waste baskets in every street corner and take up a campaign to educate people on keeping their neighbourhoods clean.