It’s 1-km from the BRTS Road near Sujatanagar. It has 227 plots spread over 33 acres of land and three parks. Residents have been living there since 1998. Apparently, it should be an ideal colony. But sadly that is not to be.
As one approaches Saisoudha Nagar II Colony in Ward 70, a big, stagnant drain that is let off into the open space and the stench of open defecation lead to the kutcha roads, much smaller than their original width.
There are no drains and roads. There is no initiative to repair the damaged ones. Parks have not developed and, worse still, caught between two departments, the residents despair as representations from time to time during the last several years have failed to improve their conditions.
“It’s a layout approved by the VUDA 15 years ago. Since then, hardly any development has been witnessed. We live with snakes. If it rains, we park our vehicles outside the colony and walk in ankle-deep water. The approach road is so worse that a youth and his mother fell down from the motorcycle three months ago. A woman riding pillion had been injured four years ago and so far underwent three operations,” says an anguished G.V. Kameswara Rao, joint secretary of Saisoudhanagar II Residents’ Welfare Association.
The road turns slushy and it is like walking through slurry, says Rajiv, another resident.
“We simply cannot venture out if it rains,” regrets a senior citizen, Kamala.
The colony has 60 independent houses and 150 apartments.
Angry lotThe residents are quite angry that repeated assurances even for a small work estimated at Rs.40,000 two years ago has not materialised so far.
Though the colony is part of the areas that merged with the GVMC eight years ago, it has not received attention. What baffles the residents is the money that is spent on new layouts.
“The assistant engineer concerned has visited the colony and estimates have been prepared for 340 metres of approach roads. But so far, no work has been taken up. Besides, there are internal roads of another 600 m. Whenever we ask officials, they say they have no funds. But in other 10 colonies, roads have been laid,” points out colony secretary D. Krishna Rao, who maintains a fat file of correspondence and newspaper reports.
For building approvals also, development fund towards roads to the tune of Rs.50,000 is collected by the GVMC. But roads are not laid, he says.
Owing to lack of drains in the colony, the water let off is absorbed.
Sometime ago, it was found that the turbidity of groundwater was much higher than the permissible levels, says Rajiv, a doctor.
Though water stagnates for lack of drainage, insecticides are not sprayed to help prevent spread of diseases, he complains.
Garbage is not collected at the doorstep and sanitation workers do not come regularly.
“We are asked to depend on neighbouring colonies and request them to send workers,” points out S. Narsinga Rao, a retired deputy tehsildar.
On top of it, garbage from the other colonies is brought and burnt near the colony, says E.V. R. Krishna Rao, a retired engineer. There seem to be confusion even about the name of the colony. Some of the demand notices are given in the name of LIC Colony and some Saisoudhanagar II in spite of representations, he points out.
Appeal to Municipal CommissionerStreetlights have no junction boxes. Residents have to switch them on if they need lighting as for 15 days the municipal worker has not been coming. Comparisons are inevitable.
“Colonies neighbouring us get all amenities. All of us are paying taxes. But the state of affairs leaves us wondering whether we are in a different country,” a resident wryly comments.
They urge the Municipal Commissioner or Zone Commissioner to visit the colony to see the conditions themselves.
