Where is the road? HSR Layout residents cry for a motorable stretch

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By Aratrika Dey

Some of the main roads of HSR Layout are a dream to drive and walk on these days. However, a 200-meter stretch of the road in Sector 4 is crying for attention for months, and the authorities are not paying any attention. Adjacent to the Freedom International School, this thoroughfare connects 17th A, 17th B and 17th C and 18th main houses in the neighborhood. What’s more, the road was made worse after the stretch was dug up to lay an underground sewage drain. The entire stretch is unusable.

No man’s land

“You can’t even walk, forget going traveling in a car or a bike,” says resident activist Kavitha Reddy. “During the rains, it’s not only unhygienic, but dangerous!” To avoid accidents, the residents don’t use the stretch. “I avoid that road and go an additional half a kilometer to get to the service road, otherwise it’s just 200 meters from my house.” 

Educational hub

There are four educational institutes and one hostel accommodation here. Due to the pandemic, they remain closed. However, when they do open, they will have to use this road as it connects them to the main service road. Residents in and around the area have lodged complaints to the BBMP for asphalting and fixing the potholes but no progress so far. 

Nodal officer has no powers

The problem is complicated as the term of the corporator has expired, and the nodal officer does not have enough power to execute the projects. “We have been struggling to get things done,” says Syed Shabbir, President, Sector 4 Residents Welfare Association. “We have written to the corporation and Joint Commissioner (Bommanahalli). The officials are digging holes and not closing them… the people are getting hurt.”

Dangers of bad roads

Neglected road laying and unattended potholes are more than an inconvenience. It causes damage to public and private transport alike. While driving, if a vehicle lands into a pothole, it can also mess up the wheel alignment that can lead to accidents. During sudden bouts of rain, waterlogging due to these potholes can make them invisible, adding to the threat. 

BBMP promises action

BBMP officials promised us that they would attend to the problem without specifying any particular deadline. However, this is not the only road in HSR Layout that is troubling residents. We have highlighted the plight of Sector 3 residents on 15th B Main Road who have been waiting for a road for over 10 months. They are also still waiting for a motorable road.