The Brigade Road in the central business district is turning out to be a minefield for pedestrians. Walking on its pavements is fraught with risks: Pedestrians fear injuries on their ankles and feet, thanks to tiles chipping off and creating uneven surfaces.
Pavements on either side of the 300m road, between Cauvery Handicrafts Emporium and Residency Road, are in terrible shape with the tiles used to pave footpaths wearing off or cracking. A girl in her early 20s recently broke her ankle while walking on the footpath as a tile gave away.
Sohail Yusuf, secretary, Brigades’ Shops and Establishments’ Association, blamed BBMP for the broken tiles and poor management of the footpaths. Till a couple of years ago, the association was taking care of the pavements but then corporator MB Dwaraka Nath insisted BBMP ward funds would be used for their maintenance.
Another trader on Brigade Road blamed heavy water tankers for the mess. He claimed that many stores use tanker water which tends to spill on the footpath and results in the tiles wearing off easily.
BBMP commissioner and Smart City Project managing director N Manjunatha Prasad said tenders have been called and work orders issued for relaying Brigade Road on the TenderSURE model. Prasad said that a team of engineers has visited the spot and inspection has begun. It is ensured Brigade Road will be on par with Vittal Mallya Road.