BENGALURU: At 8.30 am, BR Chandru, a resident of Ulsoor, was seen sitting near a missing slab on the footpath on Swami Vivekanada Road near Ulsoor police station. He held a placard in his hand that read ‘We want justice’. His demand was that the BBMP engineer concerned show up and repair the footpath.
The condition of the road and footpaths between Trinity Circle and Subramanya Swamy Temple in Ulsoor has turned from bad to worse, especially after the recent rains.
Speaking to TNIE, he said, “The footpath has been in a pathetic condition for more than two years. I am doing what I can. Each day, close to 4,000 students walk on this footpath to reach their school. I have seen people helplessly use this footpath and injuring their limbs.”He said, “Two days ago, I saw a mother carrying a child and losing her balance. The child fell onto the road ... but luckily there was no vehicle speeding by. Engineers and corporators change ... but this footpath stays the same.”
Chandru said that the officials pass the buck and blame each other. He continued to sit there for three more hours. “I finally called the engineer on phone. He placed a slab of poor quality covering the hole. It is still uneven. They have done a half-hearted job and did not even promise to lay a new footpath. I will continue to sit at the spot.
The road needs to be widened as well and heavy vehicles such as trucks should not be allowed to ply,” he said. Nagaraj, executive engineer, Major Roads, BBMP said, “We have covered the hole. As far as the rest of the stretch is concerned, I will inspect it and submit a report to the higher authorities and initiate action as directed by them.”