Cement slabs fixed beside a house gate and debris left after stormwater drain desilting are narrowing Kasturba Road near Shantala Nagar Cross in Bengaluru, residents say, creating risks for pedestrians and motorists and prompting a complaint to the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA).
The obstruction is located near the main entrance of Kingfisher Towers at the Kasturba Road–Shantala Nagar Cross junction. Residents said a homeowner had cemented slabs on both sides of a gate, leaving limited space for vehicles and pedestrians to pass on an already narrow stretch.
Niveditha, a resident who recently drove through the area, said she nearly hit the slabs while moving left to make way for an approaching vehicle. She said she initially believed the slabs were loose stones, but realised the following day that they had been cemented into place.
The slabs are around eight to 10 inches high, according to residents. They said the fixed barriers are particularly difficult to identify and avoid at night, when motorists moving around oncoming traffic may have little room to manoeuvre. Residents acknowledged that vehicles parked outside house gates can create difficulties for homeowners, but said permanent roadside obstructions were not a safe solution.
They suggested flexible red traffic delineators, barricades or other temporary measures to discourage parking without creating a fixed hazard beside the carriageway. The concern is not limited to the cemented slabs. Residents also said workers left cement slabs and debris on the roadside after desilting a stormwater drain around two months ago. The material has not been cleared, they said, further reducing the usable road space.
Residents said they alerted beat officers about the cemented slabs at night. According to them, the officers agreed that the obstruction was improper and advised them to approach the GBA for removal. Residents also said the police informed GBA officials about the issue while work was continuing in the area.
On Tuesday, residents submitted a complaint to the GBA seeking the removal of both the cemented slabs and the drain-desilting debris. They asked officials to inspect the site, determine how the roadside barriers were installed and decide whether they could be removed immediately.
The complaint comes as residents say repeated appeals have not yet resulted in action, despite the possibility of accidents on the narrow stretch. They have called for the location to be examined, particularly because pedestrians and vehicles are required to share limited space.
When contacted by Bangalore Mirror, the GBA Assistant Engineer for Ashok Nagar said the department would examine the complaint and rectify the issue soon. The official response is the next stated step in addressing the slabs and the uncleared material on Kasturba Road.
