Residents of HSR Layout, Somasundraplaya have written a letter to AnanthKumar, the incumbent MP of Bangalore South, apprising him of their problems and lack of response from the people’s representatives. The letter says:
“We are writing this mail in continuation of our earlier mails. We are now writing in pain and frustration as we continue to face the problem of total neglect of our area Somasundrapalya. The road work on the 27th main which had commenced has completely slowed down. The garbage problem continues to be a nightmare. The stink is so high we cannot breathe fresh air when we go for morning walks or for that matter whenever we travel through this area.
A large number of people travel through this area everyday and are suffering in silence. I have tried my best to complain to the concerned authorities. Of late nobody answers their phones. We are all the more disappointed despite BJP leaders being MP, MLA and Corporator, we continue to suffer.
Ever since you became the MP no one has been ever able to meet you, you have never paid visit to our area. I would humbly request you to set aside sometime to visit our area to get a first hand knowledge and the ground realities of our problem areas. The residents in this area are all disappointed by this indifference by various authorities.
We’re aware you will be too busy with the forthcoming elections but we request you to find a few minutes for our sake. When you decide to come please come over with barest minimum number of people. Larger gathering wouldn’t allow you to clearly appreciate our problems.”
The letter also states: “we have tried you for the past so many years and also tested your commitment towards the citizens. But the sad part having seen all the three from BJP namely the MP, MLA and the Corporator, to what extent can we trust the BJP. Have you any manifesto for your constituency. If so would you be kind enough to post it on the web?”
Problems faced by HSR Layout residents:
(a) The 27 th main runs from Outer Ring Road in the north to the KPTCL power distribution station in the south. It is roughly two and half kilometers long and it is a main arterial road. Many people commute on this stretch every day. They go through Somasundrapalya to go to electronic city. In addition a large number of school buses too ply through this route.
In the recent past this road was tarred only up to some distance – roughly 1.5 kilometers from Outer Ring Road to 22nd cross. A small section of this road was blocked by the army authorities for a few years. This was cleared by a resident in March 2012. Now this area is being used by various people to dump debris. The ride on this section is roller coaster one. All that is needed now is to continue tarring the remaining section of the 27th main till the end. The maximum distance perhaps would be one kilometer.
(b) There has been a practice of dumping garbage towards the end of this road. One cannot walk on this section of the road without covering the noses. There are lot of pigs moving around and the whole place presents a very unhygienic surroundings. Residents were promised in a meeting chaired by the MLA that this would be moved out. Although the garbage gets cleared but the stench is so much one cannot walk or if the car window glasses are down we have raise the same.
(c) The approach road from 27th main to Somasundarapalya is in total disrepair. BWSSB have dug for repairing some fresh water lines and the road is in pathetic condition. This needs urgent attention.
(d) About two years back storm drains were built in Somasundrapalya and covered with concrete slabs. The slabs are all substandard quality that most them have broken and as a result the drains are all getting filed up with trash. People tend to throw trash in these drains and as result there is no free flow of rain water.
Unless we register ourselves in voter rolls, no politician is going to take you seriously.
It may be late for Lok Sabha, but we have BBMP elections around the corner.
Somasundarapalya is not alone. Many of us living in BTM – HSR area have observed the drain that runs from Tavarekere area, through Madivala, to Silk Board. The route from Silk Board to Madivala bus stop is heavily used by pedestrains at all times of the day. The stench emerging from the drain filled with garbage (it’s worth taking a look at the filth it has collected which includes styrofoam, cardboard, and even mattresses!) is unbearable. Pedestrians not only have the challenge of negotiating narrow fenced sidewalks parallel to this stinking drain, but also have to jump across large sections of ditches where the paving is missing. For those who prefer to walk on the road instead of the sidewalks, while covering theri noses, the traffic coming from the opposite direction on the one way road, and parked vehicles prove even more challenging. This is a scenario that has existed for more than 10 years. Every year each attempt by the authorities to dredge the drain results in dumping of the contents, guess where? Right! On to the pedestrian path!! This scenario repeats every year and the mess lies there for months! The other day, because I was not “on wheels” and was unable to walk through the dredged mess dumped on the sidewalks I had to take a bus from Silk board bus stop to Madivala bus stop instead of being able to walk over there in 2 minutes. Is any MP, corporator, MLA (current or prospective) looking, observing, and willing to act?