Date:05/05/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/05/05/stories/2008050555741000.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Development at a standstill

T.S. Ranganna

Dasarahalli, divided by NH 4, is predominantly rural
Developed pockets have no civic amenities

Bangalore: Dasarahalli Assembly constituency has not seen any development worth the name despite the existence of a city municipal council since 1995. There were some efforts to lay roads, provide streetlights and drains and to improve water supply by drilling borewells. But those efforts came to a standstill after 2003.

The constituency, comprising Chikkabanavara, Jalahalli Circle, T.V.S. Circle, Kammagondanahalli, Nelagedaranahalli and Srigandhada Kaval, is divided by National Highway No. 4 and is predominantly rural. Though there are developed pockets with commercial buildings and layouts, they have hardly any civic amenities. The residents have not benefited much after Dasarahalli was brought under the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike a year ago.

Syed Asgar, who works in an automobile workshop, and R. Tayappa of Chokkasandra slum are fed up with the fact that no infrastructure has been created even though it had a municipal council for ten years.

Many localities with stinking open drains joining the nearby lakes have become breeding grounds for mosquitoes.

According to an senior official who served in the CMC, there is hardly any work going on in the area, and the BBMP is only ensuring the maintenance of existing facilities. There are no proper roads, footpaths, storm-water drains or sewers. Though water pipelines were laid in some localities two years ago, nobody gets clean water. During the rainy season, the entire area gets waterlogged. Pedestrians and motorists find it difficult to get about because of huge potholes, according to P. Gangadhara and G. Lakshmana, who live near the Chokkasandra tank.

Abdul Samad and Prasannakumar Setty, fruit vendors at Jalahalli Circle and Old Masjid Road respectively, said that no relief was provided to the residents even though the CMC was headed by K.C. Ashok and Andanappa, candidates of the Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular) respectively for some years. Their woes have been compounded by the widening of a 6-km stretch of the National Highway.

They accused the contractor of putting vendors as well as those doing business in permanent shops to hardship by digging up both sides of the road. Pedestrians find it difficult to cross the road.