Bangalore / Namma Bengaluru has many famous landmarks. KR Market, also known as City Market, is one of them. Did you know KR Market is one of Asia’s largest flower markets? It is also one of the largest in Bangalore that has sale of fresh produce.

The flip side to this is that tonnes of waste is generated every day. Unfortunately, there is no proper system for disposal of waste. Fruit and vegetable vendors throw rotten or reject produce onto the street or on top of existing heaps of garbage around their stalls.

Every new mayor makes an effort to clean-up KR Market — G Padmavathi, the incumbent, too has indicated an interest; yet there is no change.

Packaging material left by the wayside

Litter on the streets and on the footpaths

This garbage is then collected by pourakarmikas and is taken to a garbage trucks.

Old, tattered flower decorations.

KR Market has a huge complex which sells flowers and vegetables in the lower ground floor, dry goods on the upper ground floor and tools and machine-tools accessories on the first floor.

The Market complex also has an underground basement parking lot which is in dire need of maintenance. It is dimly lit and has an ubiquitous unpleasant smell that fills the air. It sports a huge collection of abandoned vehicles, carts, garbage trucks and rickshaws. Amongst all this too one can find heaps of rotting garbage, and hungry cattle.

Stairway leading to the underground parking for KR Market complex

Ceiling of the parking space is decorated by cobwebs 

Same case at the stairways!

Don’t miss the machine in the dark corner! Rejected produce is being scooped out using a JCB at KR Market underground parking. 

Abandoned two wheelers at KR Market underground parking

Abandoned four wheelers at KR Market underground parking 

Abandoned carts at KR Market underground parking

BBMP has banned urination, but no one seems to follow it 

Exposed wiring at the underground parking.

To tackle the ubiquitous problem of garbage disposal there are few teams of people who continually sweep up and try to remove heaps of garbage from KR Market, but their job is never done.

Pourakarmikas sweeping and collecting waste

Pourakarmikas at work in KR Market 

The KR Market bus stand is an important connectivity hub where buses from all parts of the state including the rural parts of Bangalore. This too is filled with garbage and refuse.

Garbage dumped at KR Market bus stand 

Abandoned carts at the KR Market bus stand 

Garbage piles at KR market bus stop