Sonam Rai
Roads in Ejipura have returned to their usual chaotic state after the BBMP elections are over. Incessant rain on Monday added to the problem. Clogged drainage, dug-up pavements and piled up garbage spurted on roads making commute difficult for the general public.
In what seemed like a rather desperate attempt, the shopkeepers resorted to beating up the BBMP cleaners to get the sewage cleared. The undone pavements and piled up garbage still remain.
Dug out pavement outside a shop in Ejipura. PHOTO – SONAM RAI
“After a week of complaints to the BBMP and request to the cleaners, they beat up the workers because no action was taken,” said Basha, a local bedding shop owner. The stone pavement in front of Basha’s shop has been damaged and customers find it difficult to walk or stand in front of the shop.
“We are working on the complaints but we need some time to fix up the pavement,” said Somashekar, Chief Engineer, BBMP, while talking to The Beacon.
In a locality like Ejipura, there is hardly any place for pedestrians to walk on, as most of the shops arrange themselves on the pavements illegally, the roads are narrow and the vehicle activity is high. Some of the shops have been closed this week only because the customer mobility is difficult.
It takes a month to clean up the drainage and shift the debris via trucks. We are working on it but we don’t have ample facilities, said Velumani, a BBMP cleaner.
