Vinayaknagar is just a few kilometres away from the city centre. Its roads, however, do not look like they belong to a metropolitan city. Its inhabitants have been waiting for ‘development’ for years, and they are tired of complaining. The pathetic state of the roads is shockingly uniform and speaks of abject neglect.
Rain ruins roads
Life’s almost crippled here when it rains. Residents of this locality, which is right behind HAL Kalyana Mantapa and within walking distance of Old Airport Road, recollect rainy days with a sense of helplessness.
“Till last year, my son would walk to school. Now, we have engaged a school van because it gets horrible when it rains,” said mother of Aditya Krishna, a Class IV student. The kindergarten is located in one of Annasandrapalya’s bylanes as this area has now become inaccessible.
“Two-wheelers skid and fall. Kids cannot walk, and parents go through a lot of hardship because of this,” said Zeenath B, a teacher. Even those who watch people move in and out of the area speak of the rainy days. “There are many office goers and children who travel to far-off schools. It is a struggle, especially when the roads are wet and slushy,” said Mani S, who has been running a shop for the past five years.
More pitfalls
Annasandrapalya Main Road was ‘fixed’ a couple of times, but was soon ruined because of digging. The muddy roads have only been made worse by the drains, which are not cleaned well. “Sewage doesn’t flow properly. This further spoils the roads,” said Tejaswini K, a student. Padma R, a resident of 9th Cross, complained that the drains are not cleared for days. When the workers do arrive, they demand to be paid. If denied, they don’t work.
“And there is no point complaining to our corporator,” said Zahida B. Roads and garbage top the list of problems.
Garbage being thrown on an empty plot has been a long-standing woe of residents.
“We lodged a complaint just a couple of months ago. It is of no use,” said Vineet V, a II PUC student.
No autos, buses
Autorickshaws, too, refuse to venture here. Buses that used to ply on the main road have been discontinued. It is a long walk to the HAL main gate. It is incomprehensible how Annasandrapalya, with neighbours like Indiranagar, Thippasandra, Malleshpalya, LB Shastrinagar, Jeevanbhimanagar, and Kodigehalli, is suffering in the manner it is.
Home-maker Shaheeda Hamid often has one extra chore in her to-do list—pouring a bucket of water on the burning pile of garbage on the plot next to her house. Her 70-year-old mother-in-law’s wheezing gets aggravated on these days.
“We’ve pleaded with the people not to throw garbage here, but in vain. They leave the garbage bags here when nobody is watching,” said Padma R, Hamid’s neighbour. “There are no rings or bins here. The plot has become a landfill,” they said, referring to the once-common cement rings which made for convenient dumping spots.
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