Angry residents perform pothole pooja

Y Maheswara Reddy | NT

Residents of Malleswaram, annoyed by indiscriminate digging of roads at various locations, on Sunday staged a unique protest. They engaged a priest to perform pothole pooja to express disappointment and concern over the digging of roads. The residents also squat on the road that was dug up more than 10 months ago but not yet restored.

“We are fed up with the poor condition of the roads in Malleswaram. There is no accountability on the part of BBMP authorities. We are not even able to know when these roads will be restored,” said Anup Iyengar, a resident.

He said many people, especially two-wheeler riders, were injured due to the poor condition of the roads. “There is no coordination between the authorities and the contractor. I demand the restoration of the roads that are dug up,” he said.

Coming down heavily on the BBMP authorities and the elected representative for the poor condition of the roads, Somasekhar C, a resident, has said that roads at places such as Devaiah Park, Gayatri Nagar and Maruthi Extension.

“The roads are being dug up as per the whims and fancies of the BBMP authorities and the elected representative. Air in and around Malleswaram is polluted due to the dust,” said Somasekhar.

He said that many residents, including school children and patients, have been suffering due to the dust on these roads. “There are no details on the contractor, cost of the project, and nature of the work or the deadline to complete the work,” he added.

Ulterior motive: Minister
Meanwhile, Dr C.N. Ashwath Narayan, who represents Malleswaram Assembly constituency, has lambasted the agitators and said this protest has an ulterior motive.

Reacting to the protests by a few residents on Sunday claiming that the works in the constituency were causing inconvenience to citizens, Dr Ashwath Narayan has said that those who want to protest could have done it by openly declaring their party name and by keeping the party flag along with them. “How far it is right to carry out agitations in the name of citizens,” he questioned.

He said that all the residents of Malleswaram Assembly constituency are aware of the condition of the roads 15 years ago and now.

“There was a scarcity of drinking water, the underground drainage system was in a dilapidated condition, playgrounds had become parking lots and children could not play as they used to be kept reserved for exhibitions. But at present, the scenario has completely changed. When such is the reality, demonstrations such as this are anti-people,” he said.

He said the UGD pipes in the constituency were 60-70 years old and were in a miserable condition.

“Wastewater could not flow easily through those UGD pipes. Now all these are being replaced in the entire constituency with pipes and precast manholes,” he said.