Business sinks in overflowing drains of Chickpet

Business sinks in overflowing drains of Chickpet Pavan MV, TNN | Sep 30, 2013, 05.14 AM IST 0 comments 0 inShare Share More AA READ MORE Chickpet Drains|Chickpet|As Char Street RELATED Metro contractors up in armsOne more try: Palike starts waste segregation drive in Bangalore South BANGALORE: If you're going to AS Char Street in Chickpet, it's best you don a raincoat, whether it's raining or not. For there, sewage frequently overflows through a manhole, and speeding vehicles splash drain water on road users. The overflowing manhole is located near Hotel Raghavendra Prasanna. A reality check by TOI revealed that such drains are the bane of this buzzing commercial hub. While the stench is overpowering, the continuous flow of water and movement of vehicles have left the road riddled with potholes. The appalling conditions have left those doing business in the area in the lurch. Sajjan Raj Mehta, a trader-activist, said drainage lines on AS Char Street and BVK Iyengar Road have not been renovated in the past three decades. Often, people visiting the shops here are from Kolar, Tumkur and Mandya. "Customers wonder how we manage to do business in this stinking place," he said. Sajjan brought the problem to the notice of the BBMP and state government, but nothing has changed so far. Anil Kumar, owner of a jerkin and bag shop, complained that overflowing drains bring dirty water to their doorsteps. "Those who visit the shop are always in a hurry to leave. The unhygienic surroundings have affected my business," he rued. All hell breaks loose when it rains. The entire stretch gets inundated and the waterlogged road causes traffic jams round-the-clock. Potholes buried under water take motorists by surprise, often leading to accidents, said KK Bhansali, an advocate whose office is located on the same road. This road is a nightmare for pedestrians too. The stench spreads when drains begin to overflow in the morning, said Manoj Kumar Garg, a garment shop owner. Despite bringing the matter to the notice of the councillor, nothing has changed, he said. Losing ground AS Char Street is bread and butter for roadside traders who sell clothes, bags and similar items on Sundays. Nadeem Baig, a bag vendor, said the brimming drains ensured he went without business for two consecutive weeks. "Many a time, our stocks get dirty, thanks to the overflowing water," he said. In their words The drains are overflowing due to overload. This is because drainage water from Gandhinagar also flows through AS Char Street drains. Restructuring and widening of the main sewage pipeline from Super Talkies to Sultanpet Road, under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission, at a cost of Rs 3 crore, will start from November. This will prevent overflow on AS Char Road. AL Shivakumar | councillor, ward 109 (chickpet) Restructuring of the main sewage pipeline from Super Talkies to Sultanpet Road is a big project. Work has started on installing new drainage pipelines. RS Kotekar | executive engineer, central division, bangalore water supply and sewage board