Bengaluru: Pedestrians on Tavarekere Main Road near Koramangala are facing daily hazards as footpaths that should provide safe walking space have been reduced to garbage-strewn stretches. For nearly a kilometre, heaps of food waste and discarded materials dumped by roadside vendors have buried the footpaths, forcing residents, especially the elderly and children, to walk on busy roads.

Persistent waste and encroachments

Residents say the stench from the accumulated waste is unbearable. Despite periodic clean-ups conducted by Bengaluru South City Corporation personnel, relief never lasts more than a few days. Vendors and leftover waste return almost immediately, rendering the footpaths unusable and creating a breeding ground for rats, flies, and mosquitoes.

Local residents report that pests now enter homes, while broken footpath slabs and speeding vehicles make walking extremely risky. In September, residents wrote to civic officials, referencing previous reports, urging authorities to conduct regular footpath audits, enforce anti-encroachment measures, and implement sustained monitoring to ensure pedestrian safety.

Impact of rapid commercial growth

The area has seen a surge in paying guest accommodations and food stalls catering to students, contributing to the chaos on the stretch. Nileshwar, a 72-year-old resident, said, “Every inch is encroached by vendors who set up stalls after a temple came up here. Domestic workers have fallen and injured themselves. We’ve written several times to GBA and traffic police, but unless there’s continuous monitoring, Supreme Court guidelines on keeping footpaths free will remain only on paper.”

Lata Sri, Koramangala cluster president of the Bangalore Apartments’ Federation, added, “We’ve asked our housing staff to clean outside our walls because of the unbearable smell. Vendors and eateries dump waste that attracts flies and rodents. Broken slabs and encroachments force people to walk on the road.”

Civic response

Anand Kishore, another resident, highlighted the pest problem, stating, “Rats have chewed up my car wiring. Flies and mosquitoes have become unbearable.” A senior officer from Bengaluru South City Corporation said the matter has been noted and will be discussed with higher officials for further action. Residents hope for long-term solutions to ensure the safety and hygiene of the pedestrian pathways.