Most people welcome a bus facility in their vicinity, but for the residents of Poornapragna Layout, Uttarahalli and Padmanabhanagar it has turned out to be a nightmare. The bus stand is so badly located that traffic pile- ups have become the norm here during peak hours and people spend sleepless nights as the roar of the buses keeps them awake well past midnight. . Life changed for the worse in this once peaceful locality after the Uttarahalli Bus Stand appeared in its midst.
With over two dozen buses entering and leaving it at all times of the day, traffic is constantly held up on the roads, complains a long time resident of the area, P. Suresh Kumar. “The situation worsens during the morning rush hour as this is an important road connecting Mysore Road and Kanakapura Road. Hundreds of school buses and parents taking their children to school in cars and on bikes take over the road as there are over six schools close by, including the Delhi Public School (DPS) and the Dayanand Anglo-Vedic School (DAV),” he says.
Since the bus stand was built in the area shops and other commercial establishments too have mushroomed here, leading to an increase in traffic on the narrow roads, he adds angrily. “Many are suffering from various health problems due to the rising vehicular pollution. To add to our problems the BBMP now wants to widen the road to accommodate the increased traffic, under Transferable Development Rights (TDR), which will result in many here losing their homes,” Mr Kumar laments, suggesting that the authorities should at least keep to their promise and build the proposed flyover between Poornaprajna Layout and Uttarahalli to ease their traffic troubles.
“District in-charge minister R. Ashok, the BBMP and BDA must ensure that the newly added areas are not developed haphazardly like the rest of the city. They must have a proper plan and vision taking the people's comforts into account,” he adds.