Puncture shop in govt school evicted after public outrage

BENGALURU: A government school building in Hemmigepura, built by the BBMP at a cost of lakhs of rupees, has been in pathetic condition since the last 10 years. Thick bushes cover the building and no cleanliness is maintained here. Such being the case, some locals had occupied a part of the building to run a puncture shop.

The old school building is located in Ward No. 198 in Hemmigepura. The BBMP had constructed the school here after many years and there is a petrol station next to the school. On noticing the dilapidated school building, a man named AKS Hullah, who was running a puncture shop on the footpath, slowly occupied some space in the school building and shifted his business there.

Dhananjay, a local resident,  said, “I noticed that half of the government land was encroached upon by someone. Later on, a person started a puncture shop near the petrol bunk and used the classroom as a godown to store materials. He got his electricity supply from the petrol bunk. When we informed the BBMP officials, they came and disconnected the electricity connection. Scrap materials and tyres were stuffed inside the classroom. When some of us locals started to oppose it, the man cleared the puncture shop and left overnight. Now the school has become a hub for illegal activities by the bullies”.

Dhananjay said it is a matter of concern that valuable BBMP property, which costs crores of rupees, is going waste without any use for the public. “The BBMP should utilise it for public purpose”, he suggested.