BENGALURU: Kanakapura Main Road from Sarakki signal in the Jarganahalli area, over which the Metro line runs, does not seem to belong to any authority. The road near JP Nagar Metro station has been uneven for close to a year. Residents have been knocking on the doors of various authorities to get it fixed.
“The road is only half asphalted and the footpath slabs are broken. This road was partially asphalted in June this year by the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL), but potholes remain. The road is a national highway and poor maintenance adds to traffic jams during peak hours. The sides of the road are filled with mud and slush,” said Abdul Aleem, who has been trying to find out which authority is responsible for this.
He added, “There is a bus stop nearby, and people boarding the buses have no option but to stand on this road to catch them. Since both the footpath and the roads are damaged, pedestrians have to walk on the road, which is dangerous. There are many schools close to this area, and buses halt at this spot to pick up and drop children too.”
Each of the three departments — National Highways Authority of India, BMRCL and BBMP (Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike) — say the road and its maintenance is the other's responsibility. Them passing the buck each time, has left Aleem and other residents frustrated. His written complaints to officials refers to the stretch between Metro pillars 85 and 90.
When City Express followed up with concerned officials from each of the above departments, none took responsibility for the road. Prakash M, engineer at NHAI, said, "We gave the road to BMRCL for Metro construction and it belongs to them. Only from NICE Road junction onwards, going up to Kanakapura Road, belongs to National Highway 209."
BMRCL's land acquisition officer, Channappa Goudar, said, “The road belongs to BBMP. Permission was taken from the corporation as the road leading up to NICE Road junction, belongs to BBMP only.”
MJ Kumar, assistant engineer of Yelachenahalli ward, BBMP said, “The road belongs to National Highways. They have to asphalt and maintain it. It falls in our ward, but belongs to them as it is a highway road.”
To make matters worse, there is a discrepancy in statements among NH officials too. As a response to Aleem’s complaint on September 8 to NHAI, an e-mail response was received on September 28. An excerpt of this email interaction with the Project Implementation Unit, Ramanagara, National Highways Authority of India, reads, “It is learnt that this stretch was originally NH portion under the supervision of the State PWD, NH Wing. However, during the construction of the Metro, this road asset was disturbed by Metro without permission FROM NH authorities, and accordingly, as of today, this road lies with the BMRCL.”
There is little clarity even now, on who owns the road and is responsible for the maintenance of it. In all this mess, the residents who live on this road, suffer traffic congestion, broken roads and slush on the sides.