BENGALURU: Traders and residents in Chickpet, City Market, and SJP Road are grappling with a critical issue: the lack of clear jurisdictional boundaries for both police and BBMP. According to the locals, this ambiguity is leading to delays and confusion when filing complaints or seeking urgent civic or law enforcement help. In a bid to solve this, they have proposed to install “QR-coded boards” throughout the area, which will help people locate the nearest police station and obtain contact details.
The mentioned areas, all dense commercial hubs with hundreds of wholesale and retail businesses, fall under the overlapping jurisdiction of three police stations— Halasuru Gate, Kalasipalyam, and City Market. Due to the absence of clear demarcation or signage, locals often struggle to figure out which station is responsible for a particular street or lane.
Residents have also urged BBMP to install clear boards in every lane mentioning ward jurisdiction and relevant contact details. It is expected that by installing these signage people will know where and how to register complaints, especially in cases of civic issues or security concerns.
“Recently, there was a theft in one of the godowns on SJP Road. The trader rushed to the nearest police station, but officers there told him the area fell under another station’s limits. When he reached the second station, they redirected him to a third. The entire process is a waste of time, and often people don’t even end up filing complaints,” Kiran Kumar, a trader who has a textile shop in Chickpet, said.
“Leaving the shop in the middle of business hours is not easy. Most of us run shops with minimal staff. If something goes wrong and we step out to file a complaint, we waste hours. This kind of mismanagement only encourages more crime,” Faiz, another shop owner claimed.
The problem is not limited to police matters. Residents and business owners say they face similar confusion while trying to report civic issues. “The BBMP helpline either redirects us or closes complaints without visiting the spot, saying it doesn’t fall in their jurisdiction,” Feroz Ahmed, a shpp owner in Chickpet, said.
“QR code is an affordable solution. It will precisely guide which police station one should go,” Rahul Goyal, a trader said.
Keep KR Market area clean: BBMP chief
Bengaluru: BBMP Chief Commissioner Maheshwar Rao instructed civic officials to keep the KR Market area clean and stressed the need for continuous maintenance and effective waste disposal during an inspection on Sunday. Maheshwar added that waste gene- rated within the market must be efficiently disposed of and directed marshals and supervisors to ensure cleanliness is maintained at all times without allowing garbage to be dumped indiscriminately. He also instructed that the surrounding roads and areas be cleaned using pressure jetting machines. He also asked officials to conduct a survey of the traders oper-ates in the market and take necessary action against those occupying space illeg-ally. A master plan should be prepared for maintain tainance, he added. He raised concerns about seized vehicles parked in the park-ing area and ordered their removal. He asked for coordination with the traffic police to clear abandoned vehicles. ENS