Residents of Bannerghatta Road and surrounding areas are an apprehensive lot, of late. For, their houses and establishments have been marked for demolition owing to the proposed road-widening work of the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).
The areas they have to cede have been marked in measurements scrawled on the outer walls of their buildings. Needless to say, these writings on the wall evoke strong emotions. “No BBMP official has spoken to us. We grew suspicious after noticing the markings. But when I got a notice last month, I was taken aback,” said Syeed S. who will lose a portion of his building if the plan to make the Arekere road into an 80-ft road is implemented.
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Subraj Chauhan, who has been running shops on the Arekere road for 12 years, said people like him who have rented space are in trouble as neither will they get back the advance from the owners nor will they receive compensation from the BBMP.
Markings have also been made on compound walls of the Mantri Paradise apartments on Bannerghatta road. The first few flats close to the compound will lose their gardens while the ones further down are likely to lose their balconies. R. Narsimhan, a senior citizen residing there, said he had nowhere to go in the twilight of his life if he loses his home. “We have loans to repay. Why can't they just convert this road into a one-way?” he asked.
Another resident said everyone was spending sleepless nights worrying about the future.
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Can't live or leave
The plight of residents of Silhouette Enclave apartments at Aradhana Layout is equally bad. As their association president V. Srinivas pointed out: “A few apartments will lose part of their living rooms and bedrooms. It will leave them with a cannot-live-or-leave situation.”
BBMP's Chief Engineer (Major Roads) T.N. Chikkarayappa said residents would be given two to three months to vacate after which the work would commence. The present plan was to give them certificates of Transfer of Development Rights (TDR). Compensation would be given only as the last resort, he said.
Protest planned
A.L. Gopinath, who owns a shop in Arekere, said residents and shopkeepers are planning a protest. “We don't want this road to be widened. If it is absolutely necessary, then let them give us compensation and not talk about TDR,” he said.
Arekere councillor A.N. Purushotham said he planned to meet the residents next week after which he would forward an objection to the BBMP. “There are already three 80-ft roads in the area, which should suffice. Widening the Arekere road will cause a lot of damage,” he added.