Bangalore flyovers are the new dumping ground

The underside of the Kasturinagar flyover stinks as waste continues to be dumped on a regular basis. 

By Archita Chakraborty                                                                   

Bangalore Huge piles of garbage and debrisrots under the Benniganahalli flyover (popularly known as Kasturinagar flyover) causing bad smell and pollution.

Residents of Kasturinagar have time and again complained to Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) about the unattended garbage.“I have noticed the stinking heap of garbage and debris lying under the Kasturingar flyover. It is not sure what BBMP authorities are doing despite the complaints that have been filed,” said Nilank, a resident of Kasturinagar. Another resident, P. Joshi, said, ““Movement of vehicles on and under this flyover is affected.”

Naveen, the health inspector of Kasturinangar ward said, “We get an average of 5-6 complaints daily. We’re trying our best to keep the area clean but it is difficult to clean during peak hours, there’s a possibility of our workers being injured.” He also added, “BBMP is now allowed to fine people Rs. 500 for disposing garbage under the flyover. In the last two months we have collected Rs. 30,000.”

It is not just the Kasturinagar flyover, but flyovers at HSR layout and Outer Ring road are also inundated with garbage and debris.

Ajay C, a resident of HSR layout said, “The pile of garbage is dumped at the entrance of BDA-HSR layout flyover and it smells so bad. BBMP is not taking care of things properly.”

BBMP urges people to cooperate. Mr. Rajib P, Chief engineer of East zone, Solid Waste Management, BBMP, said, “People should take responsibility for this garbage too. We are trying our best to keep the city clean but without public co-operation we cannot complete the action.” He added that BBMP solid waste management collects the garbage from the places and with the help of compactor; they bury it in the landfill outside the city. Therefore, the onus lies on the people to make sure that they do not leave the garbage unattended.

Sandeep, an environmental activist states that this problem is due to a fault in the BBMP’s Solid Waste Management plans, “They don’t have enough collection sources for every zone in Bangalore and the Kasturinagar flyover is a service road which is an isolated area for people to dump their garbage without being detected or fined. So they litter under flyovers and this is the main reason why the area stinks.”