BANGALORE: Every day, Annapoorna, a differently-abled woman, commutes on a two-wheeler from Laggere to her office, located in the heart of the city. Apart from her physical anguish, the area where she resides makes her life much more miserable.
Annapoorna is a resident of Freedom Fighters Colony at Laggere ward, Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike(BBMP) who has to strive against the menace of bad roads on a daily basis.
The residents are even now forced to commute on the mud roads which has been the case for many years since its formation. All promises made to them to lay tar/concrete roads by their representatives have not seen the light of the day. Hundreds of residents of Freedom Fighters Colony, Narasimhaswamy Layout are in a helpless state and are using the mud roads.
When City Express visited the Ward, we for a while had a feeling of being at a village that craved for development. “For more than 10 years, we have been residing in the colony. No developmental works have been taken up since then” says Annapoorna.
When we took up the issue with the area corporator, Lakshmikanth Reddy he said “The ward was recently added to BBMP from City Municipal Council. Due to lack of funds, we have not been able to take up the civic works of laying roads. But other works relating to sanitary lines and drainage are going on. Once we get the grants from MLA fund, BBMP will take up these works”. Reddy added that he has sought `2 crore from the MLA fund and another `2 crore from Mayor’s special grants. Added to their problems, the ward does not have a playground or park. “We have to go to Nandini Layout for lung space or recreation. The area marked for common amenities purposes in the ward can be used to set up a playground and park” said Chethan, a resident.
Reddy stressed that the ward has about 10 acre government land at Rakshasha Halla. “The place has already being inspected by former BBMP commissioner and Mayor. The storm water drain which passes through the proposed land has been encroached by the construction of more than 30 houses” he added. We have sought for a joint survey of the land and the works for the construction of park and playground will only begin after this.
It was also found that the Ward has poor garbage management. Heaps of garbage were seen lying unattended at many places in this neglected ward.