Shivajinagar: Bursting at its seams

For years on end, these people have been living in the huts lining the footpaths.

BANGALORE: A large number of commercial establishments, posh residential localities and dense population -- that is Shivajinagar for you. And sadly, one look at the constituency will tell you that many of the promises made by previously elected representatives have remained just hollow words.

Situated right in the heart of the city, the constituency is plagued by several issues.Except Jayamahal extension, all other areas, including Vasanthnagar, Ulsoor, Bhartinagar and Shivajinagar areas are in a bad shape.Narrow roads, heavy traffic, inadequate drinking water supply and sanitation facilities, encroached foothpaths and 'hafta vasooli' are common here.

The posh Jayamahal extension, however, experiences only one problem - garbage being dumped on the roads.

Though senior leaders like C K Jaffer Sharief and former top cop H T Sangliana have represented it as a part of the Bangalore North LS seat, they have done little to improve its infrastructure.

With LS polls round the corner, the mood here is anything but upbeat.Speaking to The New Indian Express, ex-corporator of the Bhartinagar area, S Pari said that this constituency needs a makeover."The new MP will have to take up civic issues such as drinking water and sanitation as priority. Water contamination problem has not been addressed.This is because the water lines and the sanitary lines are overlapping. The corroded pipes have not seen a change since the British period," he said.People in this constituency also want the government to hurry up with the Cantonment Underpass work.

Source: The New Indian Express