Bengaluru backwaters? Slush prompts jokes, anger

BENGALURU: People living on the outskirts, especially around Doddakannelli, Belathur and Haralur, sarcastically suggested the image of slushy mud as a new emblem of Bengaluru in an attempt to highlight the terrible state of roads in the localities.
Roads in the areas, which are close to tech corridors in East Bengaluru, turn into slush tracks after only a few spells of rain, turning officegoers’ commute into an ordeal.
A number of residents’ associations, such as Whitefield Rising, Doddakannelli Rising, Save Bellandur, Doddanekundi Rising and E-city Rising, have sent complaints to authorities, even posting their laments on social media, but to no avail.
“There are no roads here — it’s just potholes and slush. How do we step out and travel to office in such conditions? Politicians are known to not fulfil promises, but the way civic agencies are behaving, it’s shameful,” said Rajiv KS, who lives in Haralur.
Another resident, Ashok P, said BBMP diligently collected property tax from citizens, but failed to show the same urgency or efficiency in fixing bad roads. “Despite the high court’s order to BBMP that all potholes should be filled up, little work has been done,” he said.
Doddakannelli resident Shanmugan Vel said at this rate, the city would be identified with only slushy tracks. “The keechad [slush] must become the new emblem of the city soon.”
Others wondered whether they were living in the backwaters. Anupama Bijur, who tweets as @anupamabijur, wrote: “Backwaters in Bengaluru? No, just the state of our roads in Doddakannelli, Carmelaram, Haralur and surrounding areas after rains over last 36 hours.”
There were similar complaints at Kanakpura Main Road, JP Nagar Main Road, BTM Layout, Nayanadahalli, Jayanagar, Horamavu and Kalkere. Severe waterlogging on the stretch from BTM Layout to ORR made driving difficult for motorists.
One Twitter user, Save-Bellandur, commented on the lack on public transport: “Funny part is more than one million commuters (pass) through BTM Layout-ORR-Sarjapur Road but no mass transit, no data-driven bus service, no last mile to residential areas.”