Karnataka: After politicians turn deaf ears, Bengalureans invoke gods for better roads

Last February, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, who is also the Bengaluru Development minister, had made a candid confession that even gods couldn't "fix" the Bengaluru roads, hinting at the gravity of the crumbling road infrastructure. But, Bengalureans now say they trust only the divine.

 

On Sunday, residents of apartment complexes on the Holiday Village Road in Mallasandra decided to invoke the gods after their repeated pleas for a motorable road went unheard. The residents organised a special puja, conducted mass chanting of the 'Hanuman chalisa' at a local temple, and also took a vow (Sankalpa) to perform a 'homa' (offering to sacrificial fire) if the road gets developed.

 

The 2.7km-long HV road, which connects several high-end apartment complexes, including Purva Highlands, Godrej Eternity, Salarpuria Satva Misty Charm and Shriram Surabhi, has been in a dilapidated state for over five years. 

 

Despite assurances from the local MLA S.T. Somashekar of white-topping of the road, the road continues to be in shambles. The road has been dug several times during the last 4-5 years by service providers like KPTCL, BESCOM, BWSSB and for other cable laying works, but never restored.  

 

 

'Denied permission to protest'

The residents had planned to stage a protest to draw attention to their plight, but the Thalaghattapura police denied them permission. The police suggested that the residents take their protest to Freedom Park instead. When the residents decided to hold a special puja to invoke the gods, the police warned them against displaying placards, and some residents received threat calls from unknown persons asking them not to stage any protest. The temple that had initially agreed to host the puja backed out, forcing the residents to shift the event to a nearby Sri Muthurayaswamy (Hanuman)  temple.

 

The daily struggle is real with peak-hour traffic turning into a nightmare, with over 1,000 private cars and two-wheelers, 200 school buses, water tankers, heavy vehicles going to the construction sites and e-commerce using the road. The road's poor condition has led to frequent traffic jams. Frequent accidents and near-misses have become a common occurrence. 

 

The residents, especially children and senior citizens are confined indoors as safety is an issue. Ambulances and emergency services are often delayed due to traffic congestion, and cabs and autos often refuse to enter the area or charge exorbitant fares due to the road's condition.

The poor road condition has taken a toll not just on people's health (backache, joint pain, respiratory issues) but also on personal vehicles, with many residents reporting suspension and battery problems. Cars are often parked in parking lots, gathering dust and developing battery issues due to infrequent use. 

 

On the eve of the puja, the snail-paced work suddenly caught pace and the contractor started the white-topping work and claimed it would take two months to complete. The residents hope the work gets completed before the rains and also the alternative road (leading to Anjanapura) is developed to ease the traffic.

India