Spine-crunching roads worsen Mangammanapalya’s civic woes

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: When one traverses past HSR Layout and heads south to Ward 223, Mangammanapalya, they are in for a rocky, spine-breaking ride on poorly maintained roads, alongside a heavy dose of sewage seepage and garbage blackspots on nearly every crossroad. The ward falls under the Bommanahalli zone and votes in the Bommanahalli assembly constituency. While HSR Layout, home to large IT companies and bustling startups, features wide, clean roads and a seemingly functioning civic amenity system, Mangammanapalya presents a stark contrast.

A shopkeeper on Mangammanapalya Main Road lamented the ever-deteriorating condition of the white-topped road, which has crumbled due to recent showers. “If a short spell of rain occurs, it’s game over for businesses like ours. Vehicles can’t move, and people already find themselves sandwiched on an already narrow road,” he said. Unevenly laid roads and pothole-infested lanes have become the new normal after visits from MLAs and officials brought little to no improvement. A stroll through the area reveals garbage dumped in open plots and pavements that are an eyesore. When asked, Ateeq, a resident of 2nd Main Road, claimed that the garbage collection auto does not arrive on time.

“Although it comes daily, most of the time it arrives late, at a time when all of us have already left for work,” he added. According to locals, the area is situated next to a lake that has now run dry. “We are the worst affected not because of the rains but because of the laid-back approach of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and the MLA,” said Suhail, who runs a medical shop. “We have demanded that officials establish shoulder drains on our roads, but to no avail. Homes get flooded during short spells of rain, and the plight deepens for the residents here,” he added. To make matters worse, the garbage acts as a barrier, further inundating roads and even a few homes. “This poses a grave threat to the health of young children in the area,” he warned. A section of 12th Main Road in the area has been dug up, earmarked for sanitary lines according to residents. However, no work has begun, leaving the road in disarray. This has even made stepping out of people’s homes a balancing act.

Ladders have been placed on the vacant stretch of road to connect the floors of houses, helping residents navigate the dug-up area. “Stepping out like this every day is not easy. The work needs to be expedited soon!” said a resident who was seen stepping onto a plank to reach the road. These residents share a common sentiment: elections. The longstanding vacancy of a corporator has not helped their cause. They believe leadership is needed to address the dire need for basic civic amenities and infrastructure improvements in the area.