While the area around Hebbagodi police station limits was cleaned up a day after the massive protest by garment workers, another area near-by continues to be neglected. The first lay-by on the Electronics City flyover (E-city flyover) is littered with broken bottles, used cigarette packs and a half-finished cake lying on its periphery, along with other post-party paraphernalia.
This sort of littering has been a constant bother for the traffic police and the authorities of the Bangalore Elevated Toll Way Ltd. (BETL), which operates the elevated corridor. In the evenings, motorists stop at the lay-by to take in a view of the city, some throwing cigarette butts and food packets in the vicinity.
Commuters feel that other than being an eyesore, the litter can pose a threat to motorists. “If a bottle rolls over, it could get crushed by a motorbike and lead to an accident,” said Selvam from Madivala, who commutes to Electronics City daily for work. He and a group of friends had set out to clean the garbage strewn near the lay-by, but by the next day, the litter was back. The problem cannot be fixed without a change in the public’s attitude, he said.
The lay-by is meant for times when vehicles break down on the elevated highway, and not for motorists to stop without any reason, said Baldev Singh of BETL. He added that the traffic police were planning to close the lay-bys with barricades and open them only if vehicles broke down.
He acknowledged that it was difficult to keep the area clean without public support. “We have patrol squads checking the area regularly to ensure people don’t gather at the lay-by unless there is a genuine need. Sometimes, the squad whose shift ends at 10 p.m., would have asked people to move away, but by the time the next squad comes, the area is littered again,” he added.
The littering has been a constant bother for the traffic police as well. “People gather at the lay-by at night and drink and dirty the place. We have complained several times, but nothing seems to have been done to solve the issue,” said Muhammad, traffic police (Electronics City).
