BENGALURU: It’s been three years since the traders along SP Road in Central Business District have been complaining that the park and the main road near City Market have turned into a garbage pool. But their grievances have been falling on deaf ears. What makes it worse is that instead of addressing the issue, BWSSB and BBMP are blaming each other for the mess.
According to Karnataka Hardware and Allied Merchants Association, sewage is overflowing on SJP Main Road which connects City Market to Town Hall. Customers do not want to come to this area since they cannot park their vehicles and also cannot enter the lanes due to the sewage overflow. “We have been running from pillar to post. The authorities concerned only keep passing the buck,” said association secretary Rahul Goyal.
Goyal further said that the drain below the footpath has not been de-silted for many years. The sewage overflows all over the road and many two-wheelers have skidded and fallen, besides buses splashing the sewage on passersby. “BBMP is unable to clean the road due to the sewage. We have been requesting mechanised sweeping for a long time. There is a stench on the road and a mosquito menace. Also, street lights are not working. There is a shortage of public toilets too,” said Association President, Vikram Agarwal.
Sathya N K, BBMP Assistant Engineer, who is overseeing the development work in Dharmarayaswamy Temple ward said, “The BWSSB should put in bigger sewage pipes. Due to small pipes, dirty water is being diverted to perpendicular drains that connect to K100 Water Way Project.”
The sewage board contended that it faces problems from the police and the BBMP in terms of getting permission for road cutting and traffic. “However, we have now got permission from both traffic police and BBMP. The work will begin in a day or two. As many as 300 diameter pipes will be laid along the road from City Market Jamia Masjid to Culcutta Traders on SJP Road. The work will take three weeks and the problem of sewage and waste-water flooding will be addressed,” said S V Venkatesh, Chief Engineer, South, BWSSB.