BANGALORE: For commuters plying on Mysore Road, travelling without being held up in gridlocks is a mission well accomplished. The stretch from Mysore Road fly-over to Nayandahalli, is miserable due to BWSSB work and BMRCL construction.Footpaths are broken and almost a quarter of the road on either side is dug up. A BMTC bus takes over 45 minutes to move from one stop to the other, while autorickshaws, two-wheelers and four-wheelers struggle to make their way past the huge buses. Snaking traffic, however, is not the only cause for worry in the area.Residents of nearby areas have been complaining about dust allergy and asthma frequently. Moreover, schools in the area have barred students from playing in the field because of the dust due to heavy traffic. For months now this stretch has been lying in pieces and the BBMP has merely passed the blame baton onto the BWSSB and BMRCL because of their ongoing construction works.“There is a traffic jam in the area at all points. There is no alternative route we can take. A majority of the buses have to get to the Kengeri Satellite bus stand, and so at peak hours, traffic moves at 1 km per hour,” said Brijesh Kunwar, a shopkeeper.The residents and shopkeepers have often complained to their local leaders about the problem. “When we complain, they tell us that they have a limited budget and cannot spend all of that to fix roads every time BWSSB digs up the roads,” said Sarika Rangaswamy, a resident of Vijayanagar.Dr Sudhakar Reddy, who runs a clinic in the area said, “There are at least 10 patients every day complaining about dust allergy and cold. Even if medication is prescribed, problems persist because of construction work. Most of the patients are children below 12 years of age.” The Zonal Pollution Control Board last month recorded an all-time increase in air and noise pollution levels, especially from Mysore Road. The traffic police too have stationed extra personnel on the stretch.“The Mysore Road fly-over from K R Market connects with many important parts of Bangalore. There is no alternative route. One can get to the interiors of Chamarajpet or Vijayanagar through different routes, but to get to Kengeri and Uttarahalli Outer Ring Road, this is the only direct route. Hence, many professionals around these areas take this route. It is difficult to guide traffic smoothly here because the roads are in a bad shape,” said Subbanna, a circle inspector.There are five schools in the area and most of them discourage children from playing outdoor games due to the increase in pollution levels. “In the last six months, the pollution levels have gone up. We used to let children play in the fields for two hours daily, but now that is not possible. Many students are falling sick due to the dust. Many students stay close by so they walk back home, but now, the footpaths are broken and brick, mortar and stones are lying around on the main road. So they cannot walk home,” said Achaiah, a teacher at a government girls school. The local corporators maintained that the limited budget came in their way of fixing roads.
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