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Time of India
12 hours ago
- Automotive
- Time of India
As Bengaluru's Palace Guttahalli Road turns commuters' nightmare, residents slam civic inaction
Bengaluru: What was once a key connector between Palace Guttahalli and Sankey Road has now turned into what locals sarcastically call a "suspension test track" — a crater-ridden, slush-filled stretch that has remained dug up and treacherous for over five months. The 250-metre stretch on VS Raju Road was undergoing road and sewage pipeline work. But what started as a developmental project has devolved into a daily nightmare for motorists and pedestrians. "It's like navigating a lunar surface. Do ward engineers need GPS to find it?" scoffed a commuter on X. On any given day, motorists can be seen swerving dangerously, trying to dodge potholes, while pedestrians attempt circus-like acrobatics to get across the battered road. Despite being a major link used by hundreds daily, the road continues to lie in disrepair with potholes, mini-craters, and muddy patches becoming the new normal. With monsoon arriving, waterlogging and overflowing mud have made matters worse, forcing residents to use parallel roads or risk injury navigating the mess. Vijaykumar R, a frequent commuter, shared his frustration: "The whole road is filled with potholes. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trade Bitcoin & Ethereum – No Wallet Needed! IC Markets Start Now Undo They started this work over six months ago, but for more than two months now, the condition has been unbearable." Shashvathi B, a student who often uses the road, said pedestrian movement has become almost impossible. "We're supposed to hop, skip, and jump just to reach the main road. Why can't BBMP act fast?" Local shopkeepers say business has taken a hit as footfall has dropped sharply over the past few months. A chaat vendor, Rajesh Kumar, said that his business dropped from Rs 3,000 a day to just Rs 1,700 owing to a lack of customers. "There's so much dust because of the ongoing works that the customers don't want to come. They worry that dust will enter the food and cause them infections." Despite repeated complaints, BBMP is yet to restore the road. BBMP officials said the delay is because of pipeline relocation and coordination with BWSSB.
Time of India
05-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
HDMC launches ward-level WhatsApp groups to foster local connections
Hubballi: Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation (HDMC) has taken a new step to become more citizen-friendly. It has officially created a WhatsApp community, making communication between citizens and the corporation easier through this new system. Separate WhatsApp groups have been created for all 82 wards. Residents of each ward can join the respective group. Ward members will act as admins of their group and can share their daily activities with the ward's residents through this platform. Announcements, development projects, public services, and other information can be directly obtained from the corporation through this group. It provides an easy way to receive official information directly from the corporation without any confusion. Vijaykumar R, additional commissioner, HDMC, told TOI that these groups will be for one-sided communication to impart information to citizens. "Currently, we are imparting information through print and our social media accounts. However, it is difficult to convey minute information pertaining to a ward or area. Issues like road closure, drainage repair, etc., are not reaching people. Now we can impart such information through these ward-wise groups. We expect over 20,000 citizens in each ward group," he added. When asked why only one-sided groups are set for the option of only admins sending messages, he said there is a possibility of citizens sending irrelevant messages. "Citizens can file their grievances with our control room WhatsApp number 82778 03778 as usual," he asserted. Requesting anonymity, a corporator said that some corporators are not well-versed with the usage of WhatsApp groups. "We should be trained on this," he demanded. Welcoming the move, former Mayor and sitting Corporator Iresha Anchatageri said that many HDMC officials are inactive in imparting information. "We have a WhatsApp group of all corporators and concerned HDMC officials. They don't use this group to share the required information in our group. Then how can we expect them to be active in citizens' groups? Forming WhatsApp groups is an easy task, but maintaining the decorum is very difficult. HDMC officials should ensure that these ward-wise groups won't remain defunct," he commented. Box Benefits of WA groups Citizens can become more aware of their ward-level issues. The corporation can quickly and effectively disseminate information to the public. Quick notices, water supply updates, road work, and cleanliness campaign information will also be available.
