BANGALORE: The Hosur Sarjjapur Layout which is also known as HSR Layout is supposed to be one of the biggest layouts in Asia with an area of 6.98 square kilometres.
The layout relatively new when compared to the other wards in the city, still bears evidence of development in the progress. There are a number of areas that fall under this ward. Sector 1 to 4 and 6 to 7, Vinayaka Nagar, BDA Layout, CPW quarters, Agara and Ibluru are some of the areas that the ward comprises of.
The ward is built on slopes and valleys, or so to say. “Sector 1 is a good area. We have everything here, from grocery stores to medical stores and restaurants,” says Jay Cris, a resident of the area. Like everything else the ward comes with its fair share of problems.
“The roads are a big problem here. A couple of months ago, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) officials dug up the main road on the pretext of laying the Cauvery water pipes. Though the work is in progress, the pace is very slow. As a result there is always traffic jam on the road, especially during office hours,” says Cris.
A retired Colonel also has similar woes when it comes to the ward. “The 27th Main Road was dug up four times in the last 18 months. They never seem to be able to finish the work in one stretch. It is a pain as the main road is always dug and causes a major traffic clogs,” says Colonel Joseph, who works in a logistics firm in HSR Layout.
Seems like the issues with the road is not the only problem that the residents are facing. A lot of residents complain about the ward not being a safe zone, especially for women. “There have been a number of instances of mugging and chain snatching here in the evenings. Sometimes they are reported sometimes they aren’t,” says Fabian, a resident.
He also says that there was recently an incident about a NIFT student who was molested late in the evening which went unreported. The authenticity of the incident was not proved.
“The fact that the area is not safe is nothing new. There have been plenty of incidents when men have acted funny with us. Eve teasing is one thing but the things the men do here in broad day light are unspeakable,” says Rhea.
a second year student of NIFT.
When asked if she had ever reported the incidents, Rhea had nothing to say.
Given the fact that the Assistant Deputy General Police, Jyoti Prakash Mirgi resides in the ward speaks very lowly of the safety measures here.
It is not just the police that is to blame. It is also the residents. More often than not the residents shy away from complaining for the fear of coming in the limelight. As a result most of the cases go unnoticed.
Apart from the safety issues and road menace, the residents of HSR Layout are happy with the amenities provided here. “If these two issues are resolved, we have nothing to complain about,” says Jay Cris.
The corporator, K Latha, was unavailable for comments.