BANGALORE: In the recent past, the RPC Layout was made infamous by the stray dog menace, when a young girl was mauled to death by a pack of strays, much to the horror of the local residents and the general public across the city. While the strays continue to be a cause for worry, RPC Layout is fortunate that it does not have much to complain in terms of other civic issues.
Its roads are reasonably well-maintained and water supply is as normal as it can be. Clogged drains during a heavy downpour is perhaps something they worry over occasionally. RPC Layout, (Railway Parallel Colony) now renamed Hampinagar, was earlier a part of the Vijayanagar ‘empire’ (Vijayanagar area).
Hampinagar it appears is indeed a call back to Hampi - which was the capital of the Vijayanagar empire of the past.
M S Allama Prabhu, president of the RPC Layout Residents’ Forum, himself acknowledges that roads in RPC Layout are much better than most other localities in the city. Door-to-door garbage collection and general removal of civic waste is well-regulated such that overflowing bins or haphazardly dumped debris are hard to come by in the area. “Our complaints on threat from old and aging trees, loose and hanging electric cables have been heard and addressed by the respective agencies. There is not much to complain on this aspect too,” Prabhu said.
But then again, the stray dogs just won’t leave the residents in peace. “The menace has been on for the past seven to eight years. We keep complaining to the BBMP and each time they come up with a temporary solution. The dogs return - we don’t know if they are the same ones that were caught and let loose elsewhere or an entirely new set of them!,” he said, and added “Catching them only to let them loose elsewhere won’t work. We want the BBMP to either put them to sleep or house them elsewhere.” Parks and playgrounds RPC Layout has some well-maintained parks. But the residents are unhappy with the restrictions on entry hours. The park is kept open only for certain hours in the morning and evening. Yashoda Srinivas, a home-maker suggested that the park be allowed to remain open through the day between 6 am and 9 pm.
“We housewives cannot go to the park early morning or late evening because of the household chores. We want the parks for relaxation in the afternoon,” she said.
But those like Preethi S Murthy, a software engineer disagreed. “If the parks are open all day, there are chances that people might misuse them. If entry hours are restricted, it is easy for the authorities to maintain it well,” she said.
Elsewhere a group of parents were worried about the lack of playgrounds for their children. “Many playgrounds have been converted into parks. For instance, the park near the Central Library was a playground a few years back. Parks are essential. Playgrounds are important too. Our children are left to play on the roads and that is dangerous,” said a concerned father