BENGALURU: A good number of the 2,400 site allottees in the 4th Block of Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Layout (NPKL), which falls in Komaghatta area, are extremely concerned with the narrow roads being readied within their eight sectors. Unlike the road infrastructure planned in the other eight Blocks in the Layout with wider roads, the Block has roads running only to a width of 30 feet with one road just 20 feet wide.
The Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Layout Progressive Front is battling out the issue with the Authority. Dr Padma Prasad, a retired doctor, is among those at the forefront of this demand to rectify the anomaly. “We will have a total of 4,500 families in Fourth Block when all rounds of allotment are completed and allottees build their houses. The roads connecting the sectors within our Block will suffer traffic bottlenecks due to their narrow dimensions. The roads that connect with the main Major Arterial Road (MAR) are also of narrow width.” MAR connects two major roads of the City, Mysuru Road and Magadi Road.
“The amount we paid is the same as all other allottees and why are we being given this stepmotherly treatment?” she queries. The doctor was allotted a 60 x40 ft site here in 2018 in her third attempt.
The issue came to light after the allottees studied the detailed maps released by BDA on December 31, 2020. One aspect which many reiterated was that when the Challaghatta Metro station would become operational, it would be difficult for feeder buses to even enter the Block.
R Udayashankar, a software professional, said, “There is a 20 feet road running near the Anjaneya Temple that connects with the MAR Road. You cannot see such narrow roads anywhere these days.”
He also pointed to the massive Stormwater drain that runs from Sector A to G in the Block. “There are just two bridges running over it and more bridges are vital to avoid traffic jams in future,” he said. A good proportion of the space originally planned for parks has been later converted for sites here and there is a clear need to increase the lung space in this Block,” he added. Other Blocks had 40 feet, 60 feet, 80 feet and even 100 feet roads, he pointed out.
Manjunatha, another allottee said, “There are bus bays proposed but the road is too narrow for buses to enter.“
The allottees had approached the BDA twice in March this year and the issues were highlighted but they are yet to take any measures, they say.
A senior BDA official said that it was not possible to change the alignment of the 4th Block presently as the planning of the Layout was completed as early as 2014. He stressed that most of the roads in IVth Block ran to a width of 9 metres (29.5 feet)) and that was sufficient for buses to run. Asked about an option suggested by the allottees of reducing the dimensions of the corner sites which are yet to be allotted and using that space to enhance the width of the roads, he said, “That is a possibility we can consider. We will explore that option.”