Daily life has become a nightmare for the residents of Varthur as most of the roads dug up for civic works by different utilities have deteriorated into muddy puddles and slush after the recent spate of rains. The quality of life has taken a nosedive as not only are the roads not motorable, but residents whose houses abut them are finding it difficult to even step outside for errands.
Muniyappa, who lives in the neighbourhood, described the state of the roads as a health hazard. “You can’t walk more than 20 metres without falling. Many residents have fallen and injured themselves,” he said.
The condition of the roads is so bad that water tankers — which most of the residents depend on for their daily needs — are also unable to use them. This has resulted in people coping with water shortage. “Several water tankers have got stuck in the mud and are now not ready to come to our houses. They park their tankers several hundred feet away,” said Madhuri, a Varthur resident.
Residents say that the quality of roads has deteriorated over the past two months, with no respite despite several appeals being made to civic agencies to restore them. According to Jagadish Reddy of Varthur Rising, the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) had dug up most of these roads to lay underground drainage and water lines. “While that has been completed in most areas, restoration work was not taken up properly. They left after doing a mud compact, which has given way in the rains,” he said.
The condition of many roads in neighbouring Whitefield, where the BWSSB work is currently under way on Borewell Road, Nallurahalli Main Road, and Kundalahalli Road, is no different. Telecom service providers, too, have dug up several stretches of Whitefield Main Road. “The mud is simply left on the road, and when it rains commuting becomes a nightmare,” said Zibi Jamal of Whitefield Rising.
Citizens groups pointed out that multiple agencies such as the BWSSB, BESCOM, and several telecom service providers have taken up work on various roads simultaneously, pushing entire areas into chaos.
Chief Civic Commissioner Gaurav Gupta said the State government had already allocated ₹1,000 crore to take up restoration of roads dug up by utilities and work would be taken up soon. “The tenders are being finalised and all roads will be restored in the next four months,” he said, adding he has instructed zonal officials to take up emergency work to restore the roads for now.
