The completion of pipe laying work on HAL Airport Road (between Marathahalli and HAL grounds) may have brought precious Cauvery water to many in the area, but their joy is somewhat doused by the roads being left in a shambles.
“Though the work is over, the road has not been restored to its original condition. The authorities have only taken up patchwork repairs, and that too of poor quality and the road has not been levelled. Commuters are forced to stick to one side of the road, which results in frequent traffic snarls,” said K.S. Chandrashekaraiah, chief supervisor at Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd.
“When there is rain, water logging is a big problem. Cycling in these conditions is difficult. My uniform is often dirty at the end of my commute,” lamented G.B. Raman, an Indian Army personnel.
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Stretches on the road are poorly lit. “The road is dangerous at night, as some parts are poorly lit. I have to dodge the huge potholes even as buses zoom past. It’s quite scary, especially for two-wheeler riders,” said Chetan Basavaraj, an electronics engineer with a major automotive firm.
Several commuters recollected an accident when the pipeline was being changed around a year ago. A woman’s two-wheeler fell into an open ditch. When The Hindu enquired about the accident at the local police station, an official claimed that the woman escaped with minor injuries, as she jumped off her two-wheeler just before it fell into the ditch.
According to a traffic policeman overseeing the area, the poor condition of the road is the main cause of slow movement of traffic. On the upside, he said this had contributed to fewer accidents.
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The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) and the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) are playing the blame game and shirking responsibility. A BWSSB official claimed that road had been restored. “Soon after the pipeline was laid, the road restoration work was taken up. We have concreted the stretch. The poor condition of the road can be attributed to the heavy movement of traffic. Regular maintenance of roads is the BBMP’s responsibility,” he said.
However, BBMP officials refused to buy the BWSSB’s explanation. An official from the BBMP’s East Zone said the civic body would direct the BWSSB to complete the pipe laying work soon so that BBMP could take up road restoration.