Bungalows and slums, two faces of Jayamahal

Sowmya Raju | NT

Bengaluru: BBMP Ward No. 63 Jayamahal is located in the East Zone of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP). It is bounded by Old Madras Road, Jayamahal Road, Cubbon Park, and N R Square.

It is a vibrant and diverse ward with a lot to offer its residents. However, the ward is also facing a number of key issues.

Ward No. 63 Jayamahal is home to a number of important landmarks and institutions, including the Cubbon Park, the National Museum, the State Archives, the Karnataka High Court, and the Vidhana Soudha.

This makes it a popular destination for both residents and visitors, which can lead to traffic congestion. While one side of the area is filled with posh independent individual bungalows with expensive cars and vehicles.

The residents of these streets and parts of the ward hardly have anything to complain about except for the occasional waterlogging, traffic congestion, broken pedestrian paths and so on. Whereas the other side of the ward paints a different picture.

The slum in Jayamahal, one of the oldest and most populous wards in Bengaluru, is facing a number of challenges. The slum is home to over 1,000 people, most of whom are daily wage labourers and construction workers.

The slum lacks basic amenities such as clean water, sanitation, and electricity. The residents often have to depend on water lorries to supply water on alternate days.

Though water scarcity is an issue in the slum, residents complain about waterlogging especially during the monsoon season. This is causing flood and damage to property.

The residents of the slum also face issues such as a lack of access to healthcare, education, and other essential services.

A woman who works as a household help in one of the independent bungalows in Jayamahal ward said, "These people hire us whenever they need us for everything, from mechanical work to plumbing. Things get done here because of us, but somehow our living conditions remain the same."

She also shared how her sister takes her children to her workplace so that they can experience a fancy lifestyle for a few hours a week. The residents of the slum and others who live in apartments complain about its solid waste management.

The BBMP collects garbage from the ward on a daily basis, but as per the BBMP map, there is no dedicated landfill site for the ward which sometimes results in waste being dumped on the side of the road.

Another issue is that the pedestrian paths in the ward are in a state of disrepair. The paths are cracked, uneven, and littered with debris. This makes it difficult and dangerous for pedestrians to use the paths.

Slum residents in Jayamahal ward allege that there is a shortage of affordable housing for low-income residents. One resident said, "You can either live in an expensive house, a house with high rent, or here in the slum."

This has led to overcrowding and poor living conditions in the slums. One elderly woman even alleged that many people have moved out of the area to cheaper areas after the recession, inflation, and pandemic.