Panathur-Balagere road inundated again, causes traffic gridlock, delays school buses

The residents of the area say that the road gets inundated every year during the monsoon and are calling for a permanent solution to the problem.
Panathur-Balagere road inundated again, causes traffic gridlock, delays school buses
Panathur-Balagere road inundated again, causes traffic gridlock, delays school buses
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On Wednesday, residents of Bengaluru’s Panathur-Balagere road, which connects Kadubeesanahalli and Varthur in the Bellandur-Sarjapur area, woke up to the familiar sight of the road being inundated after a spell of rain. The situation was particularly alarming at the railway underpass in the area near the Croma store.

“The situation has remained unchanged for a long time. Whenever there is rain, the road gets flooded. This causes huge traffic jams on the roads on a regular basis, and has affected all residents who commute to offices and schools. School buses reached our apartment only at 10.30 am instead of 7.30 am. This inconveniences everyone in the family since the parents have to stay back and ensure that students go to school,” Vishwanath Subbaiah, a resident of the area told TNM.

According to local residents, the Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) was laying underground pipes in the area four months ago but did not restore the road and left it dug up. “The work was taken up but not completed and now it has become unmanageable for us residents. There is no drainage or water vent, which means the slightest spell of rain will leave the road inundated,” added another resident.

The submerged underpass was cleared on Wednesday afternoon after the issue was brought to the notice of Varthur ward corporator Pushpa Manjunath, but residents are calling for a permanent solution to the problem. A proposal to take up widening work on the road is yet to be carried out by the BBMP.

Earlier in June, residents of the area held a protest highlighting the apathy of BWSSB officials. They formed a human chain between Orchid International School and Kadubeesanahalli Bridge. In September 2018, the residents had held a similar protest after a water tanker ran over and killed a 12-year-old boy.

Ironically, current Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa visited areas in Balagere, around 2 km away from the area that was flooded, in 2017 and highlighted the bad condition of roads. 

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