Title - Railways must let Palike plug flooded subway

Residents of Benniganahalli are increasingly finding it tough to reach Kalyananagar.The subway to Kalayananagar gets flooded when it rains, leaving bikers stuck in knee-deep water. They have to patiently wait till the vehicles reach the other end to avoid being splashed with mud water.Yet, the subway was said to be a boon for motorists, since it cuts travel distance by more than 1 km to either Kalayananagar or Ring Road.“But we cannot use it during monsoon. The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) authorities are not taking any step to drain out stagnant water. The mud remains there for more than a year. Had BBMP officials deputed pourakarmikas (sanitary staff) to keep the subway clean, it would have been convenient for motorists to use this facility,’’ said N Murali, a two-wheeler rider from Benniganahalli.N Dayanand, corporator of Benniganahalli ward, blamed the state of affairs on railway authorities. According to him, the subway was constructed by the railways whose authorities are now preventing pourakarmikas to keep it clean.“Railway authorities are not allowing BBMP to take up any work, by claiming that the land belongs to them. Recently, BBMP authorities tried to clear the debris and widen a portion of the jammed road, but in vain. The railway police arrested the workers and kept them in custody the whole day,’’ he said.Residents want BBMP to construct an underpass between Benniganahalli and Nagawarapalya Main Road. They contend that one has to wait for more than 20 minutes to cross the Old Madras Road to reach Nagawarapalya Main Road.“We need more than 20 minutes to cross the road. It becomes tough to cross it when there is no police to regulate the traffic on Old Madras Road. BBMP should construct an underpass wide enough to facilitate smooth movement of vehicles between Benniganahalli and Nagawarapalya Main Road, and make it easy for pedestrians to reach the other side of the road,’’ said a resident. Dayanand said that for the safe passage for pedestrians, BBMP had already sanctioned two skywalks - one at the Benniganahalli-Nagarawarapalya Main Road junction and the other near Big Bazaar, more than one year ago.“These skywalks were sanctioned during my tenure as deputy mayor. BBMP is yet to take up the works due to a funds crunch. Tenders have been floated for this purpose, and I expect them to become a reality shortly,’’ he said.For residents, assurances are not enough. They want results. Will BBMP authorities live up to their expectations? Residents have to wait and watch.