No place to walk, it’s filled with muck

Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, B. M. Shivakumar, a resident of Kengeri, said that the skywalk near Kengeri was built way back in 2005-06 by the National Highway authorities in deference to a demand from pedestrians to ensure their safety while crossing busy roads. But now that same skywalk has become unusable. Women and senior citizens cannot even think of going near it for two reasons.

One, the unbearable stench which emanates at one of the access points of the skywalk due to the throwing of waste. Two, the skywalk is used for nefarious activities by anti-social elements which prevent people from accessing it, added Mr. Shivakumar. Often these anti-social elements are found consuming alcohol or smoking. This deters the public from using the skywalk, he said and suggested that it was high time the police swung into action to make the skywalk safe for the public to use.

Patients who visit government hospitals, including those with ailments and a number of senior citizens, have complained about the mounds of garbage preventing access to the skywalk. Repeated complaints to the BBMP authorities have fallen on deaf ears, said one of the authorities from the hospital. BBMP engineer Umesh said that the BBMP has been facing problems while dumping waste at Doddabidarakallu. Villagers are not allowing garbage trucks to dump waste at the landfill. The garbage has accumulated near the skywalk and compactor trucks should be used to avoid spilling of leachate, he said. He gave an assurance that the problem would be attended to within three days.