Citizens blame corrupt officials for Madhavan Park footpath woes

Spaces meant for pedestrians are used for parking and also dug up for cable laying with no BBMP permission, says a residents’ group

Citizens say corrupt BBMP officials have allowed footpaths in the neighbourhood of Madhavan Park to be ruined. The park abuts Jayanagar I Block and I Block East in south Bengaluru.

Metrolife spoke to Jayanagar Madhavan Park (JMP), an informal group, which led a protest on Sunday demanding the removal of encroachments and restoration of footpaths.

The protest, with about a hundred marchers, was spearheaded by B S Sathyakumar, a businessman, and B S Shekar, former development officer in LIC.

Jayanagar residents allege that most of the digging and cable
laying is done with full knowledge of the BBMP although
there is no written permission granted for these works.

“Most of the digging and cable laying is done with the full knowledge of the BBMP although there is no written permission granted for these works. The contractors bribe their way and then work with local goondas to threaten citizens into silence,” explains Shekar.

A pole to run broadband cables was recently erected in front of his house illegally, he says.

“A goonda walked up to me and told me that I could do whatever I wanted but the work would go on,” he says. Shekar protested and eventually got it removed.

Three-storey commercial buildings, located in the vicinity of the park, have no underground parking. “Businesses have also started valet parking and the valets park the vehicles in front of our houses. This has added to our woes,” says Shekar.

Sathyakumar says repeated requests to the BBMP and the traffic police have fallen on deaf ears.

“There is no assistance from the BBMP to clear the encroachments or even to keep the place clean,” says Sathyakumar.

A senior engineer with the BBMP office in Jayanagar concedes that many big buildings have no basement parking. “These have no occupancy certificates either. On the other hand, the high rise buildings have adhered to all rules because the approvals come directly from the BBMP commissioner,” he says.

Corruption at all levels has led to encroachments across the city and Jayanagar is no exception, he says.

MLA: Not enough funds for Jayanagar

Jayanagar MLA Sowmya Reddy says the BBMP isn’t taking her complaints seriously. “Encroachments are removed for two days and they come back on the third day. Frequent transfers in the BBMP office also hinder smooth workflow,” she says. Works related to parks, footpaths and street lights have been pending because of shortage of funds. Even projects related to solid waste management haven’t been able to take off because of a fund crunch, she says.

Cops: Parking violators are fined

A senior traffic inspector at the Jayanagar police station says those parking their vehicles in front of Apollo and United Hospitals are fined regularly. “We have issued notices to the management of both these hospitals to get the parking removed in front of their respective buildings. Most of these buildings are using their basement parking for other purposes. We also brought this to the notice of the BBMP,” says the inspector.

Seniors at risk

Senior citizens especially are particularly vulnerable, residents say. “I recently lost my balance and almost fell onto the road when I was trying to negotiate a wobbly and dug up footpath near Madhavan Park. I was returning from my morning walk. Fearing a fall, I have stopped going for a walk,” says 65-year-old Sheela Prasad, an old-time resident of Jayanagar.