The deplorable condition of Suranjan Das Road leading to HAL Hospital (HAL Airport ward) is a grim reminder of government apathy. Many residents are furious with the amount of time taken to re-lay the road, especially considering the number of trees which were cut to make way for a four-way lane on Suranjan Das Road (New Thippasandra ward). As many as 183 trees along the road were chopped.
Other than the non existence of pavements, the road is filled with potholes. And what makes this issue a grave one is the fact that the road leads to HAL Hospital (Old Madras Road to BEML Gate falls under New Thippasandra ward and BEML gate to Old Airport Road falls under HAL Airport ward).
This also serves as a connecting road to Bagmane Tech Park which is home to many IT companies and hence contributes to the traffic pile-up during peak hours near the BEML junction, a four-way intersection.
“The condition of the road has been like this for more than two years. It was apparently dug up for the laying of Cauvery pipes. What makes the situation worse is the fact that this road leads you to a hospital. If there is an ambulance stuck in the jam, then, God save the patient. I wonder what the corporators are doing,” says resident Janardhan.
Since this road connects the Old Madras Road with Old Airport Road, which also happens to house several other hospitals, the ambulances coming from the outskirts also tend to slow down. This leads to the traffic jam especially on the Thipassandra, Jeevan Bhima Nagar and HAL Airport Junction.
Another resident who has been staying in this locality for the past three years, Naveen G, says, “Since 2010, the road has been in a pathetic state. The reason I chose to stay in this place is because I thought this was peaceful and close to my office in Bagmane Tech Park. But I have seen this road in a bad condition since I moved here. And more importantly, there has been absolutely no progress. During peak hours, the vehicles literally move inch-by-inch.”
When City Express spoke to HAL Airport ward corporator, Siddalingaiah, he blamed the delay on many factors ranging from delay in budget allocation to delay in shifting the Cauvery line by the BWSSB (Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board).
Siddalingaiah said, “I will get the potholes filled within 15-30 days. When it is a project as big as this one which costs around `14 crore, such delays are bound to happen. I wouldn’t be able to give a deadline for relaying the road. Till now, we were waiting for the Cauvery line to be shifted. That is what led to the delay.”