Places advertisement panels, removes pillars on Cunningham Road
Work in progress on Cunningham Road under TenderSure project. (Inset) Neatly laid out plants at the footpath on St. Mark's Road in Bengaluru (Photo: R. Samuel)
Bengaluru: Even before Janaagraha JUSP and BBMP could solve the ‘missing mystery’ of granite bollards on St. Mark’s Road, another TenderSURE road became the target of crooks! This time, miscreants have used street poles on Cunningham Road to install panel boards for displaying advertisements. They have also removed some of the poles that were put up as embellishments on the road, which is likely to be inaugurated by the month-end.
BBMP sources said that starting from the Indian Express traffic signal till the Chandrika Hotel junction, the Palike had erected street poles with hooks (to hang flower pots) at 30-metre intervals. But on Monday, some ‘unknown’ people had installed 2x4 ft panel boards on these poles for advertisements. They had also removed the street poles, where they thought it was unnecessary.
A BBMP engineer told Deccan Chronicle, “The street poles were newly erected to hang flower pots. These miscreants have removed the hooks to install the panel boards and also taken away the electric poles and signboards. All the panel boards were removed and seized immediately.”
Palike insiders suggest that it is the work of all-powerful advertisement mafia, which controls even corporators and bureaucrats. “There have been many reports against the advertisement mafia, but even top officials are sitting on it. It is impossible to control this mafia in Bengaluru. The local revenue officers, engineers and commissioners should take action," a source suggested.
The BBMP has now sought the help of High Grounds police to nab the culprits and has filed an FIR against unknown people. It has asked the city police to find the thugs with the help of CCTV footage.
With the initial deadline to complete the project by September being missed, the agencies are now working day and night to throw open the road to public by this month-end.
Janaagraha speaks
Reacting to the ugly episode, Janaagraha co-founder Swati Ramanathan said that she was shocked by the incident. “We approached BBMP Commissioner G. Kumar Naik and he was very upset. He has promised us that the issue will be investigated and action will be taken,” she said.
She expressed her disappointment with the advertisement mafia. “Everyone has taken effort to develop the road and embellish it. But because of cheap tactics of the advertisement mafia, the city is losing its sheen. Hope there is an end to this,” she said.
( Source : deccan chronicle )
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