August Wrap: BBMP apps, basement shops, flooding threat, vedic astrology & more

BBMP phone apps are useless, complain residents

All this while, the BBMP was useless. Now, their apps are just as useless, cry residents. Says Anand Saunshimath: “I had raised several issues on the BBMP Sahaya app over footpath encroachment and road digging, but all the tickets were closed. I even tried calling the contacts provided on the ticket but most of the phones were switched off. I found it to be a total waste of time and an eyewash by the authorities.” Fellow resident Balasubramaniam came up with a plausible reason for this mess. “BBMP doesn’t like or encourage the IT revolution as the income from bribes will go away. Also, many of them are not IT-savvy. The lower-level employees sabotage the IT-related improvements being tried by responsible senior officers like the Commissioner and Joint Commissioner. Even the online payment of property tax is a classic example. They believe in personal contact for the sole reason of revenue generation.”
Agreed resident Ravi MR: “BBMP closes complaints without resolving them. 80% of the time, BBMP closes complaints raised on the BBMP Sahaaya app without resolving them even after six months. What is the use of this app?”
The BBMP, however, is unmindful of all the protests and has launched many more apps that replicate the same function and still do nothing on ground. So much hogwash.

It’s time to shut down basement shops in HSR Layout

Following the recent fire mishap at a basement shop called Paatra Bhandar on 27th Main in Sector 1, the residents are urging the BBMP to shut down all the basement shops in HSR Layout. The officials have promised action. Let this be a warning call to all the tenants and landlords who are violating the law by setting up shop in what is supposed to be for parking vehicles. The axe can fall anytime. Much before this fire hazard, the Sector 1 Residents Welfare Association had written to the authorities to release the basement areas for parking, but nothing happened. However, this fire mishap should serve as a warning to all the authorities concerned and urgent steps need to be taken to shut them all down, and open them up for parking.

Should the BDA complex be turned into a mall?
The local shopkeepers are opposed to the idea, because they will have to pay a lot more, and until the reconstruction happens, they will be without a cheaper venue. If you take them out of the equation, there is still some food for thought. Indiranagar resident and civic activist Sneha Nandihal is facing a similar issue in her locality. What she says resonates for HSR as well. “The BDA complex is supposed to provide all civic amenities to the local population,” she says. “It is meant to reduce traveling. But the proposed expansion will make it a favourite shopping/entertainment destination for outsiders, and promote long-distance traveling. It will also increase the traffic density in the neighborhood. For a residential area, it’s bad news.” What do you think? Let us know, dear readers and we will air your views here as well. Reach out to us at this email ID: residentswatchmag@gmail.com.

Parking and traffic woes
Law is of no use, if it’s not enforced. Resident Kay Kay says, “Cops are strictly implementing no parking rules in Lavelle and Residency Roads, but no such thing in HSR and its extensions. Nobody dare park in central Bangalore. Towing and fines happen without fail.” Manisha chimes in saying, “The traffic cops also tow the vehicles to a spot where people negotiate with them. Locally also, the tow guys have a spot for the exact same thing, under the flyover opposite Columbia Asia hospital on ring road.” The other reasons for a traffic jam are the many school buses that pass through the Somsundrapalya Road. “There are three schools nearby… Ravindra Bharathi, Sai Ram and Chinmaya,” reasons Lalithamba BV. “The pick up and dropping of kids to schools is also causing the congestion.”

Flooding threat looms in HSR
The BBMP is known for false promises and so are our elected representatives. Despite massive flooding in Sector 3, nothing much has progressed to desilt the drains. The residents are warning each other on another impending threat of their houses getting flooded with copious rains. The owners/tenants of houses that got flooded last year are being asked to get ready with sand bags near their gates as there is no desilting done on the drains in several crosses in Sector 3, particularly 25th cross and 17th A Main. The residents are fed up of the false promises.

Vedic astrology, anyone?
Ramesh Chelliah is a software engineer and a resident of Somasundrapalya. With over 22 years of experience in the IT industry, he is also practicing something on the side: Vedic astrology. Apparently, it’s his passion for over five years and his approach is supposed to be scientific. Anyone interested in getting their horoscopes analysed can contact him for further details and an appointment. Call him at 96114-74511, 11am to 2pm; 6pm to 9pm.

Residents want a private road to be opened for traffic
Somasundrapalya resident Maneesh Ojha is one among many who is pushing for the opening of the garment factory road in Somsundrapalya near Sanjeevini medical shop. “There is no way it can be a private road,” he says. “If it is a private road, who owns it? There are five to six distinct commercial organizations on that road who are all using that road.” The back story is that when this was a revenue area, the land parcel owner created this road to provide access to his plot which he later sold to many people. Now that the region has come under the BBMP, he is demanding that the BBMP pay him the market rate to take over the ownership of the road. With BBMP always facing a fund crunch (since much of its revenue happens under the table), buying the entire stretch of this road is near- impossible, atleast for now.

Phone snatchers, beware!
With smartphones getting more affordable and in everyone’s hands, every individual walking on the road is a potential prey. Says Deba Saha who was witness to one incident recently: “I saw a phone snatcher near the KPTCL power station on 27th main. Two people on a bike tried to snatch the cellphone of a girl who was walking on the road. Unfortunately, I was in the opposite direction, and therefore couldn’t chase them.”
The safer way of not getting your phone stolen is to always hold your smartphone on the drain side of the road. Remember to be vigilant around you while you are on the phone as that is just as important. When you spot someone coming really close to you, it’s best to back up on the footpath. They could be after your gold chain or your smartphone.

Nuisance zone of Sector 3
Laying power and water lines is all very well, but the civic agencies end up cutting roads worth crores and leave behind a trail of potholes that never get filled properly. Just one dictat by the state government to its civic agencies can fix this problem, just like the way they did with flex banners and other illegal hoardings in the city. All it takes is will at the top of the ladder. Since that is not happening, residents are finding craters developing on every other road in HSR. Some of them are due to the shoddy quality of road laying that allows for water stagnation. 19th main and 22nd Cross are two roads that need a quick fix right now. “The cutting works are unprofessionally filled and the pothole is back within no time,” says Kay Kay. “On top of it, there is shoddy tarring work. What a mess we are getting into. Since elections are over, none will come to our rescue. Hope they don’t mess up with the GAIL gas pipes laid underneath the footpaths.”

Blackspot removed
Anil Benni, the BBMP’s garbage supervisor for parts of HSR Layout is doing a remarkable job. Wherever he finds a blackspot where garbage is dumped, he not gets the pourakarmikas to clear the area, but also installs benches, and plants trees to turn it around completely. This strategy seems to have worked in most places. He did it in Sector 2, 4, 7 and recently, it was the turn of Sector 3. The backside of Ellukunte Government School which plays host to voting during elections was cleared of garbage. Today, the place sports benches, and saplings. We hope that the school students are told to water it regularly, so the effort does not go to waste. Kudos to Anil and his team for their untiring efforts at keeping the area clean and green. We also thank the efforts of HSR Citizen Forum and Hasiru Mithra, the citizens groups that are doing their bit in this area too.

Road cuttings scar HSR
Laying power and water lines is all very well, but the civic agencies end up cutting up roads worth crores and leave behind a trail of potholes that never get filled properly. Just one dictat by the state government to its civic agencies can fix this problem, just like the way they did with flex banners and other illegal hoardings in the city. All it takes is will at the top of the ladder. Since that is not happening, residents are finding craters developing on every other road in HSR. Some of them are due to the shoddy quality of road laying that allows for water stagnation. 19th main and 22nd Cross are two roads that need a quick fix right now. “The cutting works are unprofessionally filled and the pothole is back within no time,” says Kay Kay. “On top of it, there is shoddy tarring work. What a mess we are getting to. Since elections are over, none will come to our rescue. Hope they don’t mess up with the GAIL gas pipes laid underneath the footpaths.”

Jam at MG Palya-HSR junction
The road intersection of Yekkukunte Government School Road and Mangammanapalya Main Road near Axis Bank ATM needs a traffic cop from 5.30-6.30pm. The jams happens because people try to overtake each other. Only a cop or a CCTV that sends out automated fines to the violators will better the scenario. Can the traffic cops of the area please implemented this soon?