Bengaluru residents unhappy with progress of Namma Metro pillar beautification
According to data accessed by The Hindu, there are 1,987 piers in Bengaluru, if which only 918 were beautified as on August
With waste and garbage strewn around them and posters plastered on their facade, the concrete pillars that support the Namma Metro lines often mirrors the city’s civic apathy. Except for the recently inaugurated metro line and the M.G. Road route, the city’s metro pillars largely lack aesthetic appeal.
While various NGOs and private establishments, driven by corporate social responsibility, have actively participated in enhancing the aesthetics of metro pillars, residents of Bengaluru have expressed dissatisfaction with BMRCL for their perceived lack of efforts in beautification.
Mohan Kumar, a resident of Rajajinagar, said, “Most of the metro pillars along the Green Line appear unsightly due to numerous posters affixed by the public. BMRCL must address this issue by taking action against those responsible for the posters. Pillars near Yeshwantpur, Dasarahalli and 8th mile are the worst. Beautifying the pillars would discourage people from defacing them with such posters.”
Since the inception of the metro in the city, the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has collaborated with corporate entities to enhance the aesthetics of the medians and pillars. Alongside the construction of elevated metro structures, decorative plants have been planted along road medians. Corporates have been taking orders, not only to beautify these spaces, but also to utilise them for advertising, having rented the space from BMRCL. This initiative encompasses maintaining medians, painting pillars, and embellishing viaducts.But, metro officials say, corporates are now hesitating citing high cost.
Kalpana Kataria, executive director of BMRCL, told The Hindu , “Initially, we had engaged corporate entities solely for the upkeep of greenery in the stations. As the initiative proved successful, we decided to extend corporate involvement to the enhancement of pillars and viaducts. This innovative approach was first implemented in Whitefield, and we are now endeavouring to collaborate with companies for other stations as well. But, the work incurs significant costs, making the process of persuasion challenging. But, now we are directing corporates that thosemaintaining the station gardens must also undertake the responsibility of painting the pillars and viaduct.
