Halasuru in city's heart grapples with waterlogging and dark streets

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: Halasuru and Ulsoor are located in ward number 90 and are both known for their tree-lined streets, upscale residential areas, and proximity to popular tourist attractions such as Cubbon Park and Ulsoor Lake.

Halasuru is home to many senior government officials, business leaders, and celebrities. It is also home to several prestigious educational institutions.

Ulsoor is a slightly older neighbourhood than Halasuru and is known for its well-maintained parks and gardens. In the midst of this neighbourhood, there exists a contrast in the form of an adjacent urban slum that suffers with multiple pressing issues.

Situated at the intersection of Murphy Road and Kensington Road, this slum is overcrowded. Most houses are small, thatched asbestos structures, typically measuring just 10 feet by 10 feet, where families of three or four reside.

Unfortunately, the vast majority of these homes lack designated toilets and bathrooms, forcing residents to rely on a nearby public toilet. The inadequate street lighting throughout the area, adds to the issues the residents face.

The absence of proper street lights in several parts of the ward presents a significant challenge, particularly for women and girls in the slum who must navigate their way to the public bathroom during the night.

This lack of streetlights not only poses safety issues but also adds to the vulnerability experienced by the community. A woman who works as a construction worker said, “There is a single common toilet at the end of the street and another public toilet. We maintain the public toilet, so it is clean. However, we cannot use it at night because there are no streetlights except for some light from the main road. It is very scary for us and for me to send my niece by herself.”

The lack of streetlights is not limited to the slums, and several residents complain that most streets lack streetlights. A polluted water canal that flows between Bellandur Lake and Ulsoor Lake runs through the slum, separating it from the other residential areas of the ward.

The slum's low-lying location, combined with the canal, makes it prone to frequent flooding, even after minor rainfalls. The residents struggle to cope with the aftermath of these floods year after year.

Since the settlements around Ulsoor Lake are older than the rest, they are lowlying buildings near the water body that are easily prone to flooding and waterlogging.

A slum resident said, "We came here first, and the area developed around us, on top of us. So we are now like a pit where water flows into when it rains."

In addition to the lack of streetlights and flooding, illegal on-road parking is another major issue in the area. Most streets are lined with two-wheelers and four-wheelers, which disrupt traffic and pedestrian flow.

Many vehicles are parked directly in front of "No Parking" signs. A security guard at a nearby establishment said, "If there were only one or two vehicles, the police could tow them, but there are so many vehicles parked here every day that it would be impossible."

He also emphasised the importance of citizens being responsible and following parking rules.