Hafiz Baba Nagar, A Slum Neglected Perennially

THE residents of Hafiz Baba Nagar of Chandrayangutta are facing severe hardships due to lack of basic amenities. Commuters and locals are having harrowing times in maneuvering their vehicles on pothole-ridden roads. Issues like sewage overflow, poor sanitation, piles of garbage and dug up roads continue to pester the residents while the civic workers remain blind to people's sufferings.

Hafiz Baba Nagar is one of the major slums in the city constituting Baba Nagar A block, B and C blocks and Phool Bagh. Most of the roads in these areas are dug up frequently for civic works causing inconvenience to locals. "We have complained many times about the pothole-ridden roads to the officials concerned, but till date nothing has been done to address the issue," said Mohammed Aleem, a resident of Hafiz Baba Nagar.

"Every time to carry out civic works, the civic body dugs up roads and leaves it without leveling. Almost all the internal roads in the area are dug up and have become  bumpy, and we do not even remember when these roads were laid for the first time," he added.

Though the area sprang up many decades ago, it still faces the issue of narrow internal roads, lack of stormwater drains, sewage overflow, hanging electric wires, garbage dumped on roads, street vendors and shops encroaching footpaths and roads, turning the roads narrower. "For the last several years, we have been requesting the authorities to upgrade the sewerage system, but nothing has been done. The sewage overflow has become a daily nuisance as the pipes were laid decades ago," said Shaik Ahmed, a resident of Baba Nagar C Block.

For any area, the basic amenities include good roads, proper drainage system and sanitation. But, unfortunately, these areas lack all these. Officials turn a blind eye to provide basic facilities as it is a slum area and we, the residents, are forced to suffer, said a few residents of the area.Other major Issues like absence of streetlights, poor sanitation and no regular lifting of garbage remains common in the area.

"The officials neglect our area as it is a slum. However, the south zone GHMC office is located at Baba Nagar," added Vinod, a resident of Phool Bagh. "No proper sanitation is maintained in the area to make it look neat and tidy. Neither garbage collection is done regularly nor do dumping spots exist to dispose of trash," he complained.