We all appreciate the planned approach and systematic execution of any project. Many companies do it and among government establishments, the railways, perhaps because it was a British company earlier. For example, if they have to bridge a river of 50 feet and lay the track, they just refer to ready made designs and drawings for bridge girders, fabricate them while the piers are being built, and finish the project in record time.
Civic amenities site in Kalyan Nagar is lying vacant for over two decades and is in continuous danger of being encroached upon. Pic: Lina Vincent.
We also observe the non-existance of such a system in some areas. The execution of HRBR Layout (three blocks) under the name Kalyan Nagar is one such. A township/colony needs besides the houses, water, electricity, and other civic amenities like shops for daily needs, parks, playgrounds, community hall, etc. The civic amenities and houses should come up simultaneously. We know not how the BDA functioned in other places, but as far as Kalyan Nagar was concerned, there was no proper system. Site owners built their houses, made their own arrangement for water, and occupied the shelters. Site owners started settling down in Kalyan Nagar by around 1985 or so. The service provider, K E B thankfully, supplied electricity. Water supply was taken up over a decade later, perhaps in the year 1997. There was no move to provide the other amenities. On public demand some parks were added early in this century.
A civic amenity site was included when all the house sites were demarcated in Block 3, but it was left untouched. Civic amenities (CA) have not been developed and the CA site is lying vacant for over two decades and is in continuous danger of being encroached upon. HOPCOMS and other suppliers of food items are ready to put up outlets if plots are assigned to them. But presumably nobody thought of that.
Letters and appeals sent to the Commissioner, BDA, evoked no response or action. Same results for the letters submitted at the grievance cell of the Commissioner, BBMP. A ‘fan-fare’ was held under the name ‘Janaspandana’ just a year ago and a panel of high ranking executives of the various service departments heard public grievances and assured immediate action. Well, the less said the better about the event. However, it may be interesting to note that while they were full page information announcing the Janaspandana in the dailies, one has not seen even a half a column report on the results/outcome.
As reported in the newspapers townships are likely to come up along the Chennai- Bangalore expressway. It is believed that the BDA will play the main role in the township projects. One sincerely hopes that the said authority develops a proper system and performs admirably in forming complete layouts in the new areas. ⊕