Bengaluru residents find unique way to highlight bad roads

Bengaluru: The residents of Kanakapura road staged a unique protest to give vent to their anger on Anjanapura main road. They operated a coracle on the water-logged, potholed road and planted paddy saplings to highlight the sad state of the road. They collected a fare of Rs 20 from each person who took coracle ride. The residents of Anjanapura, nearly 50 km from Bengaluru's Majestic area, resorted to the unique protest on Saturday. They rafted on the pothole-riddled Anjanapura main road. The crucial link road has not been tarred for nearly 12 years.

The residents allege that their MLA (Bengaluru South) M Krishnappa, has not paid attention to the development of the stretch despite several representations.

The Changemakers of Kanakpura Road Association stated, "For 10 years, Anjanapura double road hasn't seen any progress. Multiple follow ups since last few years with local MLA M Krishnappa has been a failure. Residents don't deserve this. We are going to raise our voice strongly on this."

Anjanapura double road is situated in Doddakallasandra, and connects Kanakapura Road with Bannerghatta Road, and Narayan Nagar to Gottigere.

Krishnappa visited the site and promised to make the roads motorable by September 8. The residents intend to stage a bigger protest if the road was not made motorable within one week.

The residents complain that the situation of the roads has been terrible but BBMP, BWSSB and BMRCL have dug them up worsening the situation. "For the past 12 years, the road has not been asphalted. We sent requests to various authorities including BDA but there hasn't been any improvement," said Abdul Aleem, president, Changemakers of Kanakapura Road Association (CMKRA). He added there have been several false promises from authorities about repairing the road in the past.

The situation of the road has drastically affected the lives of the residents. They say that delivery boys and cab drivers refuse to serve the people in these areas due to the state of the road. Those who travel by metro have to walk 800 metres to the station. Residents sometimes even find it difficult to get ambulances on the road. "There was one instance during the second wave where an ambulance refused to drive on the road and patient's relatives had to go till Kanakpura road where the ambulance was waiting," he added.

Completely fed up with the situation, the residents of Anjanapura double road have other demands as well. They also demand that Anjanapura Layout be recognised under BBMP limits, to complete the entire repair work with the latest infrastructure by end of the year, to conduct surveys about similar problems in the infrastructure of Narayan Nagar and Anjanapura RWA, to replace street light poles to aluminium poles, to include park development in the tender, and to ensure regular maintenance of SWM waste in the locality.

Speaking to TNIE, a senior BDA official said that a 6.8 km road will be constructed at a cost of Rs. 23 crore. The road will be a four-lane from Kanakapura Road to Gottigere via Anjanapura Layout.