BENGALURU : What do you do when a stretch of 6.8 km road is filled with potholes and resembles a flood-hit area every time it rains? Instead of just standing with placards to register their protest, the locals decided to sow paddy and take coracle rides along the non-motorable stretch.
Members of various Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) joined hands to draw the attention of the authorities to the Nagawara-Gottigere or Vasanathapura-Anjanapura Road. They said the road, managed by the Bangalore Development Authority, is in such bad shape that ambulances cannot pass through it.
After the protest, Bengaluru South MLA M Krishnappa visited the site and assured the citizens that the road will be fixed in three months. Meghana Murthy, a resident of Anjanapura, said the road is in a sorry state for the last 12 years and repeated pleas have not been heard.
Abdul Aleem, a member of Change Makers of Kanakapura Road, said the road has not been asphalted despite writing several letters to BDA. "Every time we asked the MLA, he said tenders will be called. If nothing is done now, we will form a human chain," he said.
Krishnappa said, "The work of repairing the road will start in a month as tenders need to be called. The approach roads are however in good condition."
BDA Commissioner Rajesh Gowda said Rs 23 crore has been set aside for road works. "There was a fund crunch and other works were being done along the stretch. That’s why the repair works were delayed," he added.