People denounce Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike plan’s to downsize 18th Cross ground.
After Sankey Tank Bund Road, it may be the turn of Malleswaram 18th Cross Ground near Maramma Temple Circle to be downsized.
The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) plans to acquire a portion of the 100-year-old ground for widening the road leading to Yeshwantpur.
Sensing the threat, residents of Malleswaram, Sadashivanagar and RMV 2nd stage, members of Disc and Football Club of Malleswaram and Hasiru Usiru gathered on Sunday to protest against the Palike’s move to axe 70-odd trees lining the ground and downsize the ground by 10 metres to 12 metres.
Protestors said the Palike had earmarked six to seven metres of land along Chowdaiah Road after Sankey Park on the side of the ground.
“They will act once the trees are axed and the new boundary wall is raised. The ground will then shrink by 10 metres to 12 metres on that side,” said Renuka Prasad, a resident of Malleswaram.
“I have been visiting this ground every day for 45 years. Part of the ground was given to Maharani College, then to a Central school and later to CET cell. So what is left now?” asked the angry resident.
People were clueless when the BBMP marked 70 trees inside the campus.
“None of the residents were informed by the BBMP about downsizing this ground and axing the trees. We only came to know about this through people who regularly visit the ground,” said Geetha G, a member of the residents’ welfare association of RMV 2nd stage.
“This is just a 500-metre stretch which could be made a one-way instead of widening it. The BBMP is needlessly widening stretches without giving a thought to what will happen to pedestrians and those physically challenged crossing the road to visit the temple or Sankey Park,” said Vinay Sreenivasa, a member of Hasiru Usiru.
A few senior citizens, who were among the protesters, said the BBMP had plans to widen 8th main and 11th main roads of Malleswaram which would further mar the beauty and tranquillity of this heritage spot.
Sreenivasa said parking would be a problem if roads were widened at random in residential areas. “When these roads are widened for kilometres without adequate parking spaces, people will obviously park their vehicles on the roadside adding to the traffic congestion.”
Protesters wanted to know how many trees were marked on the other side of the road in the compounds of Indian Institute of Wood Science and Technology and Aranya Bhavan.
The stretch from Bellary Road near Cauvery Theatre to Yeshwanthpur would be made a signal-free corridor after widening it, they added.
Children and students, who visit the ground every Sunday to play, too joined the protest. Holding placards, they shouted slogans saying they did not want the ground to be downsized.
“We come from Mahalakshmi Layout for practising cricket here. Every day, six to seven groups of children play on this ground at various corners. If the ground is downsized, where will we go?” asked Manjunath Goudar, an angry ‘little master’.
“There are very few grounds in this area. And this ground has been there for ages. Every evening, senior citizens, women and children come here to spend time,” said Ahmed Ijaz, another cricketer.
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