Tension after Army blocks parts of disputed road

Tension between Army personnel and residents of J.C. Nagar escalated on Saturday after the entrance of a local mosque was blocked.

Earlier this week, personnel of the Parachute Regiment Training Centre (PRTC) had destroyed the partially-asphalted road and stopped works undertaken by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) which would have seen connectivity to Modi Garden and surrounding areas of Banagiri Nagar, Indirapuram, Sujana Nagar and parts of D.J. Halli.

After a public outcry, and the visit of civic officials, Army personnel, who claimed that the road was within their campus, had agreed to allow residents to use the road.

However, on Saturday, PRTC personnel blocked the entrance to the mosque on the road, leading to another outpouring of anger from the residents.

A local resident said with the main entrance being blocked, the mosque was effectively cut off for most devotees.

The road, which serves as the only link to nearly 200-houses of Modi Garden, is now barely 20 feet, with mud being piled around it to block the entrances from linking roads.

“They had promised us a 40-feet wide road, but now, it is barely enough for two cars to go through. If it rains, the road will virtually disappear. They have even been marking private properties around the road claiming it is theirs,” said A.R. Suresh, general secretary of the Modi Garden Residents’ Welfare Association

Meanwhile, residents met with Bengaluru Development Minister K.J. George who promised a meeting with civic officials and army personnel to resolve the issue. They will also be meeting with MP D.V. Sadananda Gowda on Sunday on the issue.

When contacted, the defence spokesperson declined to comment.