Endless reign of civic apathy

Two videos that have gone viral in the last one week have highlighted the pitiable infrastructure in Bengaluru. A school bus carrying girl students dangerously tilted on one side  in a slushy pool is being depicted as representative of the pitiable state of city roads post-monsoon. The girls had to be rescued by passers-by as efforts to push the vehicle out of the pool came to nought. The girls had to be reportedly rescued by pulling them out through the windows.

A second video has been shot by a young Canadian visitor, who trudged 2.4-kilometre in the Majestic area that constitutes the transport hub of the city and is used by millions on an average day to migrate from one mode of transport to another. The foreigner, some kind of an influencer, who is married to a resident of the city, goes round the place in mission mode. 

The namesake footpaths are overgrown with weeds, are dumped with construction debris, generously splattered with lumps of excreta and are encroached by pavement dwellers, turning them into narrow pathways. Not this alone, certain portions left alone by pedestrians, could be seen being used for bathing, offering users some kind of privacy from the public eye.  At one point, it ends up in a tunnel flooded with rainwater forcing walkers to use the busy thoroughfare for a crossover. 

Further down, there are giant pipes resting over the space. The ‘eternal rest’ allowed to them is marked by the overgrown foliage. Then there are stretches parked with panipuri wheel-carts shrouded in plastic covers for the best part of the day. The language is civil and the man behind the camera showers praise on the civic authorities wherever the stretch is walkable.

 Majestic is the throbbing heart of the city and one can imagine the apathy that reigns over vast parts that barely attract such VIP visitors. It is a matter of guess if  Greater Bengaluru would be anything different in the era to come as the civic body is in no hurry to fill up the vacancies, that is half the reason for the inefficiency. Needless to say, corruption and the consequent delay in granting contracts, contributes the other half.