<p>Contrary to the state government’s claims that civic agencies are working in tandem, the death of a 75-year-old differently-abled man in a road accident on Monday night has triggered a blame game among the BBMP, the BDA and the BWSSB. </p>.<p>In essence, all three governmental agencies have washed their hands of the tragic incident and passed the buck. </p>.<p>Khursheed Ahmed, 65, died after falling off his four-wheeled mobility scooter which hit a trench on Manganahalli Main Road in western Bengaluru around 8.30 pm. The trench had surfaced because the road was dug up for laying a water pipeline and left unattended. </p>.<p>No civic agency has taken responsibility for repairing the road. </p>.<p>The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) passed the buck to the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA), saying the road falls under the latter’s jurisdiction. </p>.<p><strong><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/city/bengaluru-specially-abled-man-who-fell-from-scooter-into-road-trench-succumbs-to-injuries-1027956.html" target="_blank">Read | Bengaluru: Specially-abled man, who fell from scooter into road trench, succumbs to injuries</a></strong></p>.<p>Calling the accident unfortunate, BBMP Chief Commissioner Gaurav Gupta said: “We have verified the spot of the accident with our officials and engineers. It comes under the BDA’s jurisdiction.” </p>.<p>Dr H R Shantharajanna, engineer member, BDA, acknowledged that the road falls within their jurisdiction, but said a spot inspection by their engineers showed that the stretch had been “illegally” dug up by the BWSSB. </p>.<p>“(BWSSB) officials neither took permission from us for cutting the road nor did they restore it,” he said. As a result, the road caved in, causing a trench-like pothole, he added. </p>.<p>For its part, the BWSSB denies carrying out any work (including road-digging) on the stretch “recently”. </p>.<p>Devaraj M, Chief Engineer (West), BWSSB, said: “We didn’t take up any pipeline work in the area recently but we aren’t sure if any of our past work caused this problem.” </p>.<p>He, however, promised that BWSSB engineers would visit the spot soon and check past records. “I will also visit the spot to ascertain the ground reality,” he said. </p>
<p>Contrary to the state government’s claims that civic agencies are working in tandem, the death of a 75-year-old differently-abled man in a road accident on Monday night has triggered a blame game among the BBMP, the BDA and the BWSSB. </p>.<p>In essence, all three governmental agencies have washed their hands of the tragic incident and passed the buck. </p>.<p>Khursheed Ahmed, 65, died after falling off his four-wheeled mobility scooter which hit a trench on Manganahalli Main Road in western Bengaluru around 8.30 pm. The trench had surfaced because the road was dug up for laying a water pipeline and left unattended. </p>.<p>No civic agency has taken responsibility for repairing the road. </p>.<p>The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) passed the buck to the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA), saying the road falls under the latter’s jurisdiction. </p>.<p><strong><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/city/bengaluru-specially-abled-man-who-fell-from-scooter-into-road-trench-succumbs-to-injuries-1027956.html" target="_blank">Read | Bengaluru: Specially-abled man, who fell from scooter into road trench, succumbs to injuries</a></strong></p>.<p>Calling the accident unfortunate, BBMP Chief Commissioner Gaurav Gupta said: “We have verified the spot of the accident with our officials and engineers. It comes under the BDA’s jurisdiction.” </p>.<p>Dr H R Shantharajanna, engineer member, BDA, acknowledged that the road falls within their jurisdiction, but said a spot inspection by their engineers showed that the stretch had been “illegally” dug up by the BWSSB. </p>.<p>“(BWSSB) officials neither took permission from us for cutting the road nor did they restore it,” he said. As a result, the road caved in, causing a trench-like pothole, he added. </p>.<p>For its part, the BWSSB denies carrying out any work (including road-digging) on the stretch “recently”. </p>.<p>Devaraj M, Chief Engineer (West), BWSSB, said: “We didn’t take up any pipeline work in the area recently but we aren’t sure if any of our past work caused this problem.” </p>.<p>He, however, promised that BWSSB engineers would visit the spot soon and check past records. “I will also visit the spot to ascertain the ground reality,” he said. </p>