Monday, August 19, 2013

HSR Layout - Ward 174

Last three years have seen the roads of HSR Layout turning from bad to worse; few patch works here and there before the Assembly elections is all that the elected representatives have done in contrary to the claims they have made. Recently BBMP swung into action and sanctioned funds for filling of the pot holes, patch up the worsened road stretches and laying of asphalt on selected roads, not sure on what basis the selection was made. 

A ride on a two wheeler across HSR Layout will tell a different story, exposing all the false claims made by the elected representatives on filling of the pot holes and patch work of the critical stretches, some roads like the 31st main and 24th main of sector 1 stand totally ignored. 

Shoddy work and selective repair work are in full display once you ride through the inner roads of the layout. Each of the cross and main roads have at least 3 major potholes and about 5-6 smaller potholes. What is even more surprising is that the road works are ignored all through the summers and are taken up only during the monsoon only when the roads get worst and unbearable. What stops the authorities from taking up the pre-monsoon repair work?  

Added to the bad roads are the clogged storm water drains, un-cleaned vacant sites, constructing workers defecating in empty site, un-swept roads, un-checked street light that don’t even switch of manually and the door-to-door garbage collection agents who dumps all the segregated waste into one pile.

During the citizen interaction recently the Corporator spoke about building a world class stadium, setting up a dedicated cycling track and making HSR Layout garbage free but if the basic problems are not address all the tall promises will have no relevance or takers. 

It’s time the elected representatives who rarely go around the layout take some time out from their busy schedules and inspect all the roads and ask the relevant departments to take corrective. 

It’s criminal to spend public money on shoddy work and elected representative should be transparent and bring out details on the money spent on this shoddy road work and penalize contractor for bad quality work. 

- Kavitha Reddy 

Also published in Jagran City Plus, HSR Layout 6th Sept 2013