MORNING WALK ON BENGALURU ROADS

MORNING WALK ON BENGALURU ROADS

As per my doctor’s advice, I shifted my walking routine inside my home to walking on the road around my home. My half-hour walks around the Rama Rao layout in Katriguppe daily at around 7:30 am is not a very pleasant one. Every day the same situation appears. Firstly, the garbage dumps on roadside appears at many places. This is in spite of the BBMP garbage pickup truck arrives every morning diligently. I tried to speak with the BBMP supervisor once why these garbage dumps accumulate although it is picked up from homes every morning, she said this happens because the people don’t listen to them. Even if BBMP fines them, they may stop for a day or two but return to doing it again. Some people find it cumbersome to give away the garbage when the pick-up truck arrives. They find it convenient to throw it on the roadside as and when it pleases them or when they step out on errands. What is depressing and pathetic is to see stray cows rummaging through the garbage for vegetable wastes. It is also reported that plastic bags have been found in the stomachs of some cows who have swallowed them by mistake. Sometimes, BBMP waste collectors are found clearing up these sites. It is very depressing to see these men handpicking the dry wastes and dumping them in their trucks. I wonder why the authorities have not mechanized these operations like in some foreign cities.

Then I find maids spraying water in the front yard of some homes before drawing a rangoli pattern for the day. There are rows of two-wheeler vehicles parked in front of shops left behind by early morning shoppers. In addition to the normal morning traffic, school buses of various schools arrive to pick up students waiting at their designated stops. These buses, being huge compared to cars, cause minor traffic jams whenever the buses stop while young students in their uniforms and backpacks board their buses keenly watched by their parents. Most car owners nowadays buy cars only to be used during weekends. For want of space to park their cars within their own premises, they invariably park on the roadside. These cars get moved only occasionally occupying almost one fourth of the road width when parked.

There are stray dogs parking themselves on roadsides. One has to be wary of these animals. There are reports of dog bites too. My wife and maid have experienced it once when they were attacked suddenly.

Besides BESCOM electricity poles on one side of the road, I also find poles connecting internet or mobile cables. But many of them have extra lengths of cables lying on the roadsides. There are occasions when these hanging cables have caused accidents to two-wheeler drivers driving at speeds as they are not noticeable at nights. While walking, I will have to be watchful and skirt around all these obstacles to be safe. I have already skidded and fallen down at home once and broken my hip and was bedridden for 6 months. I don’t want to go through that agony again. Do you expect me to walk on the footpaths laid by BBMP? Are they vacant and free? The footpaths are invariably occupied by street vendors selling coconuts, flowers, fresh vegetables and fruits. So, I have to walk on the edge of roads avoiding moist portions, pot holes, vendors, scooters, buses overtaking other vehicles and of course my fellow pedestrians. Problem comes when the drivers hit us from behind while we avoid these obstacles. I pray to God before and after morning walk every day for a peaceful stroll.

-        Gopinath S

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Gopinath S
Chief Executive
nRG Consulting Services, Bangalore
http://in.linkedin.com/in/gopimysore
http://nrgcs.blogspot.com/
+91 99161 29728