BANGALORE
Residents of Lower Agaram Road in Bangalore have been hearing of road-widening long before the stretch became a busy thoroughfare.
Residents of Lower Agaram Road have been hearing of road-widening long before the stretch became a busy thoroughfare. If it had to be done, authorities could have planned it thoroughly including issues like compensation and rehabilitation, they say.
Those who have settled here half a century ago have seen many developments around them. One of the projects that changed things drastically for them was the construction of the National Games Village. “The necessity for widening came up when construction of NGV began. It came up long after we settled here. Now we have to suffer because of it,” says Babu G, a resident.
A few decades ago, the road led to a dead end. Ejipura was the last point. After a bridge came up over the drain to connect Vannarpet and Koramangala, the road became a shortcut for commuters to access MG Road and Brigade Road. Obviously, there is congestion during the day.
“If one travels through the city during peak hours, it may seem that all roads need to be widened. Just for four or five hours, BBMP will destroy everything,” says Babu.
Residents are unwilling to give up the ancestral property they own. The widening is planned from Hosmat Hospital to National Games Village according to the list of roads earmarked for widening (phase I).
Besides, the terms under which residents are being asked to forsake their comforts are unacceptable. Lack of information on the project, insults heaped on them by the BBMP and the indifference of the officials to their questions have left them distraught.
“Our parents have given us this house. The government should buy our properties at market value. Just forcing us to give up the land for nothing is undemocratic,” says Ranganath Murthy who has been living here since 1952.
Acquiring land without paying market price is nothing but goondaism, says Babu. The BBMP should take a leaf out of Metro’s book, he says.
“We have bought this land for money. Even if we are given TDR, where will we get the money to build a new house? Depriving us of compensation is wrong,” says Kripanandan R who bought his house 50 years ago.
While most residents will rather spend their lives here, a few are willing to move out if they are properly rehabilitated. “Long back, the army gave up land for this road. In exchange, they were given apartments in the games village. Why can’t the Palike rehabilitate us in a similar manner? Even now, it is not late,” says 80-year-old NG Raju living here since 1964.
Raju will have to give 17ft of the property that was allotted to him by the housing board. His neighbour Vijayan D, who owns a shop and a house, too will have to give up a large portion of his property as it is located on a narrow stretch of the road. “We will lose all of it. Where will we go,” he asks echoing the views of the thousands of Bangaloreans likely to be affected by the project.
As members of the Lower Agaram Residents’ Welfare Association, they have been putting forth their suggestions to decongest the road.
“This road can be made a one-way. An alternative stretch is available via the Infant Jesus Church to Austin town. That road is underutilised,” says Kripanandan R, a BEL employee who recently demolished his house and is building on the site now.
Similarly, there are a few roads that not many people know of and are not being used well. They can be improved too, people say.
“There is a road from Ring Road to Ejipura. One can access Neelasandra from Church Road. These are underutilised. If they are improved, the pressure on this road may ease,” says Babu.
On Thursdays, road congestion is at its peak, thanks to the thousands of people thronging Infant Jesus Church. At least during these hours, officers managing the traffic can try out the one-way system, residents suggest.
“There are two gates to the church. They can designate entry and exit points. They can try this out before deciding on widening,” they say. Bottlenecks have to be fixed before deciding on widening all city roads, says Kripanandan R.
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