Sarjapura in the south-east of Bengaluru enjoys road connectivity to key IT clusters of Whitefield, Electronic City, Outer Ring Road, Marathahalli and Koramangala. But the town, off BBMP limits, comes under a panchayat. Its streets are not well-lit and hoarding panels are placed on the road divider at short distances putting the lives of pedestrians at risk. Residents complain that the PWD has turned a blind eye to the issue but it is the panchayat that has permitted hoardings, though it earns a measly sum from them.
BENGALURU: A truck ramming into a hoarding on the divider at Sarjapura recently brought into focus problems the pedestrians are facing in this town on the outskirts of the city.
The divider on Sarjapura Road is choked with such hoardings, which are placed at every 10 metres which put the lives of pedestrians at risk.
Sarjapura, which is two km away from the BBMP limits, faces a plethora of civic problems. “Lack of streetlights is the main issue here. As the street is not lit, a person crossing the road at night is not visible to a vehicle driver.
This could lead to fatal accidents. The road was constructed in 2017, but it has already developed potholes,” said Ms Deepanjali, a member, Voice of Sarjapura.
Residents complain that the hoardings started appearing on the divider in 2017 but the Assistant Executive Engineer of the PWD tightened the noose and got the advertisements removed immediately.
Now, however, the residents are unhappy with department officials as they have turned a blind eye to the issue.
The engineers have expressed their helplessness and have bought more time to understand and resolve the issue.
The hoardings should be placed at a gap of 100 metres but they are placed close to one another. During heavy winds the frames come off.
The tendering process is escaped and the panchayat gets only Rs 14,000 per annum from the advertisements, residents said.
“The panel frames have to be removed. The reflectors should be put on the road to avoid accidents,” said Srikanth, a local resident.
