BENGALURU: Bengaluru’s biggest issue is its lack of proper infrastructure. It was a well planned city with markets for everything but as we started progressing, the city started deteriorating. Civilisations have always flourished when water bodies near you are taken care of, but we started closing our lakes to bring up residential layouts. Places like Koramangala and Majestic Bus Stand have been made by eliminating big lakes.
The surge in population led to its biggest issue – traffic. But widening roads is only destroying the city. It’s high time we explore the idea of underground tunnel roads, which would connect the major check points of the city like MG Road, Majestic, Electronics City, Bannerghatta Road, etc. Nothing comes without a repercussion, but with this, it will be minimal. European countries that have similar issues also find a way to work around a solution while keeping the city’s beauty intact.
These things come at a cost but Bengaluru’s contribution to the state budget is almost 70-80 per cent. But the state government invests very little back in the city infrastructure. If they start investing even 50 per cent of the revenue that the city gives, it will help a lot in sorting infrastructure related issues like water management, garbage management, potholes, etc.
Another thing that is painful to see is that to make way for modern things we are demolishing our heritage houses. Many of the medical institutes like Victoria Hospital, Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital are heritage buildings. The city authorities should restore them and provide better equipment. That way, you are not just preserving your past but also working towards making government hospitals better.
SOLUTION: Our leaders need to understand that a city can’t be planned by the ones who run it. That should be assigned to city architects with instructions about the city’s history. Widening roads and cutting down trees can’t be the only solution. People who have made the city home should also participate in the
development.