Evolving Vajrahalli residential area gropes with civic woes

Vasudha Zora NT

Bengaluru: In an expanding city of Bangalore, lies Vajrahalli under ward number 128, evolving now as one of the prominent residential areas near the Kanakpura Road, falling under the Nelamangala Taluk. The area is spread out over 190.62 hectares with an evolving population of 2,843 males and 2,794 females. The literacy rate of the area is 75.04 percent shaping the numbers to be 1,407.

Due to the diverse culture of its residents, the common languages spoken in the area are Konkani, Kannada, Tulu, Telegu, English, Kodava, Marwari and Hindi. Complaints regarding dumping of construction debris and abandoned vehicles near their homes are common. Some of these dumps are located in marketplaces and to clean it, hiring private cleaning services is the only option.

The civic authorities have promised to provide more garbage collection bins and create more awareness amongst the residents of the area, thereby keeping the markets of Vajrahhalli clean. The Vajrahalli locality was in a chaos until a few months ago, when new roads were laid out in the residential areas covering many potholes and muddy pathways.

Swetha Kumari, a resident of a slum in the area said, “The road was completely broken down, for a period of six months we had to take alternative routes to get out from our house, However now, it is in good condition, but some people are littering the new road, but a group of residents maintain the road and try to talk sense into them.” Being a slum area, many choose to defecate in the open, resulting in a breeding ground for infections and unhygienic conditions.

Nanda Sukhdeva, principal of a reputed school in Bangalore and a resident of Lingsdheeranahalli said, “This area is still developing, there are a lot of open spaces with garbage thrown everywhere, new shops and malls are coming up and so in order to accommodate that, something must be done because the entire stretch including m a i n roads and residential area has organic and dry garbage thrown around openly. “

“Last time I checked, there were no cameras keeping surveillance of people dumping garbage and the collection takes place on alternate days, ” She added, The locality can be easily accessed by the Bangalore metro green line and the closest bus stop is at the KSIT junction which is a 100 meters walk from the metro station.

The evening traffic which starts from Sarakki junction and extends up to Vajrahalli sometimes get blocked, but it is mostly a free way for biking enthusiasts who also indulge in over speeding even during traffic hours risking their and the lives of the others.

According to the traffic department, the Kanakpura Road stretch is a favourite spot for these motor bike enthusiasts and many have been caught by the cops.

Apart from that the crime rate in the area is close to nil as people enjoy the laid back living style the locality offers. The water access is however weaker in some sub sections of the area and tankers are called in to fill the requirement.

A representative of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike(BBMP), “The road intervention is going to carry on, we are planning to fill the potholes and since the area is located on a hilly slope, we need a proper structure to ease the tension by unblocking certain pathways and constructing in some."

The representative also said that the dumping of construction debris, is a major problem in the area and that BBMP is awaiting funds, after which measures will be put in place later this year to tackle the issue.