SUNCITY RESIDENTS WORRIED ABOUT HEAVY TRAFFIC IN THEIR PREMISES

Residents of Suncity Apartments at Iblur on the Sarjapur-Outer Ring Road junction are a worried lot. Reason: The road between the apartments in their premises is a public road that comes under Bangalore Development Authority's jurisdiction. Heavy earth-moving vehicles and trucks engaged for the ongoing construction of an apartment complex adjoining the Suncity Apartments' premises are plying on this road, thus making the road unsafe. This has resulted in damaging the road badly. It has also shattered the peace of the residents of Suncity Apartments, thereby putting residents' life to risk, especially of children and senior citizens. With access given to public motor vehicles to ply, the road is now in a pathetic condition and is ridden with potholes. There is also a security threat to the residential complex owing to public access to the road running between the apartments.

It may be recalled that Suncity is a huge residential apartment complex comprising 20 residential blocks with 1,200 apartments housing over 5,000 residents.

Suncity Apartments Owners Association president Arun Kumar Singh said that the tranquillity of the area had been lost with heavy trucks being allowed to ply on the road in the apartment premises. "The safety of the residents is at stake due to the movement of heavy earth-moving vehicles and construction trucks. Unauthorized heavy vehicles are being parked on the road inside the premises, thereby causing security threat," he added.

The association is even seeking permission from BBMP to fix gates at the entry and exit points of the apartment. "In the absence of a gate, any vehicle or person can enter the premises unchecked. The gates will give access to public with thorough security checks and there would be checks on parking of unauthorized vehicles during the night. Also, there would be restriction on heavy vehicles," Singh said.

Besides, there is a slum that has come up near the exit point of the premises that has hundreds of immigrant labourers. "As such, incidents of theft have already gone up in our apartments owing to unchecked movements of these immigrants in the premises," he added.

"The joint commissioner has expressed the view that the access road cannot be blocked as it is a public road. But when questions pertaining to its maintenance and street lights were raised, he said that the same should be relinquished to BBMP either by BDA or the residents of Suncity," Singh said.

The association is contemplating relinquishing the maintenance of the main road inside their premises to BBMP, as BDA is not maintaining the main road, streetlights and roadside drains. Opinion from residents has been sought whether to relinquish so that the maintenance of the road and streetlights (including payment of electricity bills) is taken care of by BBMP.

The plying of heavy earth moving vehicles on Suncity Apartments road has been brought to the notice of the BBMP Joint Commissioner who has assured them that necessary steps would be taken for the diversion of the vehicles after his visit. "A memorandum will be handed over to BBMP's Joint Commissioner of Bommanahalli Zone during his visit to Suncity Apartments for his consideration and approval," Singh added.

Speaking to Cityplus, Suncity Apartments developer Govindachary said that road including streetlights and roadside drains are still maintained by the construction company for the last five years despite the road belonging to BDA. "The road asphalting was done by the company and electricity bill for the streetlights is paid by the company as well," he said.

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