Bangalore Sweatbox

A "stage" is a neighborhood, or part of one; I think it is derived from a "stage" of a housing development that was, at one time at least, ongoing. Also, this story reveals the acronym "CMC" often cited in news stories: City Municipal Council.

Nagarabhavi in a state of neglect

The Hindu

Residents suffer due to bad roads, uncleared garbage

# The layout was formed in 1987 by the BDA and handed over to the CMC for maintenance
# Contractors have dumped debris on either side of the road
# Rs.12 crore earmarked this year for improving amenities


BANGALORE: It is the bad roads in Nagarabhavi Second Stage that caused Mangala Gowri's fall. She was trying to negotiate a U-turn on her scooterette when her leg twisted on one of the loose rocks on the untarred road and she fell.

Ms. Gowri was not immediately able to get an autorickshaw to go to a hospital. She had to limp for over a kilometre to flag one down. "The roads are so bad here that autorickshaws do not come often. When you find one, you have to pay more than the regular fare," she says.

Almost all through Nagarabhavi, the roads are in pathetic condition. On most roads the asphalt has worn away leaving huge craters. Last year's incessant rains and the constant flow of traffic have loosened several of the rocks and pebbles on the untarred roads. The 40-foot main roads and smaller side roads have become narrower because building contractors have dumped debris on either side of the road. Many of the streets do not have streetlights.

S. Prabhakar, Gowri's husband, who travels 15 kilometres on his motorcycle to work, says that he has developed back problems because of bad roads. "My neck and back hurt as I go on the roads. I have to wear a brace for my back at times," he says.

Balakrishna Rao, vice-president of the Nagarbhavi Residents' Association, says the maintenance of the layout has been neglected for the past few years. The layout was formed in 1987 by the Bangalore Development Authority and handed over to the city municipal council for maintenance. "For the past few years, we are suffering due to bad roads and poor maintenance of amenities," he says. He adds that the residents of Nagarbhavi held a protest to highlight the poor condition of the roads a few months ago. "But the situation has not improved," he says.

Throughout the layout, plastic bags and waste lie scattered by the side of the road as garbage bins overflow. "The garbage cans are not even cleaned once a week. No one comes to collect the garbage," says Mr. Rao.

Residents complain that the uncleared garbage is raising a stink in the area as well as causing health problems. "There are too many flies and mosquitoes in the area now. Several children are falling sick," says Ms. Gowri.

Areas that have been earmarked as parks are also a picture of neglect. They are overgrown with weeds and cannot be used for any recreational activity by the residents. "We cannot walk in the park because it is overgrown with weeds and we cannot walk on the road because there are no lights," says Ms. Gowri. D.L. Narayana, Commissioner of the Rajarajeswari Nagar City Municipal Council, said parks would be beautified this year. "It is part of our action plan," he said. He said Rs.12 crores had been earmarked this year for improvement of the CMC of which Rs. 5 crore would be utilised for civil works. Tenders had been called for asphalting works.

posted by The Bangalorean @ 5/11/2006