Cooke Town drain works have left residents dealing with damaged compound walls, elevated concrete covers, roadside debris and peak-hour traffic congestion, with more than 600 people from Wheeler Road and Hutchins Road petitioning authorities for intervention.
The roadside drain development project has been under way for about two months. Residents said the slow pace of work and the condition of the work sites were making access difficult in the busy neighbourhood. They alleged that debris was not being cleared daily and that earth-moving equipment had damaged private property during the dismantling of existing drains.
Constantine Pereira, a Cooke Town resident, said a portion of his compound wall was damaged during the work and had not been repaired despite his complaint to the contractor. He also said the concrete slabs placed over the drain were higher than the surrounding ground, making it difficult to close his gate.
Residents have also questioned the design and execution of the project, including the narrowing of the roadside drain and the use of concrete covers. One resident raised concerns that concretising the drain could prevent rainwater from percolating into the ground and affect trees along the road. The report did not include an official response addressing the design or water-percolation concerns.
Albert R, founder-president of the Cooke Town Nivasigala Sangha, said civic engineers were not providing adequate supervision or inspecting the quality of the ongoing work. He said the contractor should clear debris every day to reduce inconvenience for residents and motorists, while stressing that residents were not opposed to development work itself.
Traffic disruption has become a particular concern on Wheeler Road during peak hours, according to residents. Pamela Parashar, one of the residents, called for the authorities, including the traffic police, to ensure that motorists could travel through the road without avoidable obstruction. More than 600 residents of Wheeler Road and Hutchins Road have signed a petition seeking action from the authorities.
The contractor’s site supervisor, identified as Manoj, said the debris would be cleared and promised to repair compound walls damaged during the dismantling of the roadside drain. BNCC Assistant Engineer Sandeep said he had not received a complaint about damage to compound walls but added that he would attend to the issue if it was brought to his notice.
The dispute follows earlier coverage published by Bangalore Mirror on August 18, which reported residents’ concerns about delayed and substandard drain development work in Cooke Town. The latest complaints focus on the continuing disruption, property damage allegations, traffic congestion and the quality of the completed sections. The contractor has said debris clearance and wall repairs will be undertaken, while the civic engineering response remains tied to receiving specific complaints.
