By Anuksha Dey
Residents of Horamavu near Banaswadi and KR Puram are finally getting asphalted roads from Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) after waiting for over three years. The streets were dug up by the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) for laying water pipelines in April 2017. An additional 60 kms of roads were dug up for laying underground pipes in January 2019.
So far, Varanasi Main Road is asphalted along with sections of Horamavu Lake Road, Kalkere Main Road, Horamavu Agara Lake Road, Manjunathnagar main road, and a few roads in Munnireddy layout. Work has also started in a number of other streets in the vicinity.
The need for better roads
For over three years, bad road conditions have plagued the residents of Horamuvu as the main road and side roads were dug up to lay the pipes for Cauvery water connectivity and sewage disposal. Ever since, locals have been protesting against the bad roads as the hapless situation made commuting quite a pain.
The dirt roads are uneven and dangerous for vehicles. According to Thangadurai Arunachalam, a resident of the area, “There have been accidents every other day between Channasandra Road and Rampura Road because of the poor condition of the streets. Vehicles are getting damaged too.”
The dust from the unpaved roads is also causing health problems for the people of Horamavu. Moreover, the roads become slippery in the rainy season, making it dangerous for pedestrians as well.
Residents Protest
The resident body at Horamavu staged a silent protest outside the BBMP office in the locality on July 20, 2019. The protest received much media attention. The organisation submitted a letter to the Chief Engineer, highlighting 16 areas where roads needed to be repaired.
While work has started on some of these stretches, no deadline is given for the rest of the streets.
