Smart City work leaves Chickpet a stinking mess, traders complain of loss of business

Lokesh Kodagadala

BENGALURU: The Smart City works taken up in Chickpet area seems to have come as a curse for traders of Avenue Road 9th Cross with sewage water flowing on to the roads from damaged sanitary lines. Locals blame the unscientific work carried out for the mess.

Chickpet ward, which includes Avenue Road, Cubbonpet, Chickpet, Killari Road, etc., is the business hub where the highest volume of transactions take place every day. But, of late, traders are having to bear the brunt as business has falled due to the Smart City ongoing works.

Former corporator Shivakumar alleged that sanitary lines have been placed unscientifically while redoing the footpaths on Hospital Road, Cubbonpet Road, Killari Road, Sanjeev Naik Street, Anchepet Road, Andanappa Street, due to which sewage water is coming on to the roads and even entering houses.

“It has been two years since the work was taken up. I had suggested that the Smart City works be taken up on B V K Iyengar Road and not on Avenue Road, since it is narrow. If the footpaths are widened, the carriageway will become narrow”, he said.

Former corporator Shivakumar says the sanitary work is unscientific.

“But we were told that the project had been approved and work will be taken up. Then I suggested that the sanitary line, which is in the middle of the road not be shifted, but the authorities insisted. Now they have shifted it and laid it unscientifically. In January, I brought the issue to the attention of Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai. There is absolutely no coordination between the civic agencies”, Shivakumar said.

Traders and roadside vendors complain of loss of business due to the prevailing mess. “The stink is unbearable due to which people keep away and we suffer loss of business”, rued Rashmi, a vendor.

“Sewage is the main problem here. None of the officials have inspected the problems here”, Mahesh, a tender coconut vendor.

“The whole place is very dirty. We don’t get customers. Whom do we complain to? Problems persist and it has become very difficult for poor vendors who try to make a honest living”, said Lakshmi, another vendor.