Above or below, the condition is just as bad

BANGALORE: The Sirsi Circle flyover which connects Town Hall to Mysore Road was built in 1996-97. It might not have the grandeur of the Hebbal flyover nor is it as busy as the Dairy Circle flyover. Nevertheless, the Sirsi Circle flyover, as its often called, is well controlled and pleasant to drive on.But take a walk under the flyover and you will see the state of neglect that KR Market, said to be the first locality in Asia to get electricity, has been left in. Under the flyover there are horse stables with hay and dung all over the roads. The number of mosquitoes due to the garbage are also posing a serious health threat to the locals there.The KR Market bus stop, which handles a majority of the BMTC bus traffic in Bangalore, is disorganised with no platforms or sign boards representing information about the bus numbers. Plastic covers lay strewn everywhere with mango peels dumped unceremoniously. On the flyover the wires are severed exposing live wires which increase the risk of an electric shock multifold.  An estimated 10,000 people walk through City Market everyday. The death of Tushar Kumar, a techie, by electrocution, barely a month ago failed to be a wake up call for the authorities to act on preventing such an accident again. Raju, a vendor in the market said, “This is the condition of the city market during the summer. During the monsoons, it is a pitiable place. The water submerges most of our shops. Litter is present all over the place.” The absence of footpath on roads adds to the residents’ woes. Crossing the road too is a huge task.Voicing his problems, Amir Iqbal, a regular visitor of the Jama Masjid said, “The flyover has definitely reduced traffic in the market.” A motorist informed City Express for those who do not use the flyover and instead commute on the road below, traffic jams are a major problem.The flyover itself presents minor problems such as potholes. On the way from Mysore Road to Town Hall these potholes have been left unattended. Slabs of stone found along the stretch of the flyover need to be removed. Despite BMTC buses not using the flyover, the flyover handles its share of traffic and hence these problems need to be attended to. Buses also stop on the flyover to collect the passenger. City Express had written a report, No random stops for buses on May 4 stating the problems related to buses stopping where there is no designated bus stop or shelter. Unfortunately the condition has not changed since and the BMTC buses still stop in places where they are not supposed to. When contacted, the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA)said that it was not in their jurisdiction. Ramesh, BBMP (engineer in-chief) said, “It is a repeated  problem. Attempts are made to rectify it as soon as possible. We have also planned to repair the joints. We have invited tenders for the same.” Talking of the mess underneath the flyover he informed us that new agencies are being organised to look into the maintenance and cleanliness of the region.