BANGALORE: Though the construction work for Bangalore Metro rail is turning out to be a nuisance for most Bangaloreans, there are some who are utilising the space left vacant due to the construction work. For instance, car owners and shopkeepers near the Leprosy hospital on Magadi Road are happy to get a free parking space in the area, thanks to the metro construction work. The space beneath the metro construction site has now turned into a free parking lot. “There is shade under the construction site and the road is busy too. This makes it a safer place to park my goods carrier,” Venkatesh, who supplies vegetables to a hotel nearby, said. On the same stretch, one can see vendors selling fruits and vegetables on their push carts. “Earlier, I used to sell fruits on the footpath. Now, as this space is in the middle of the road, people come to buy from sides of the road, making my business better,” Rajanna, a fruit seller, said.On the West of Chord Road near Vijayanagar, a pandal for Lord Ganesha has been put up at the metro construction site. Kannada film posters also adorn either side of the metro barricades on the same stretch. While the construction has turned out to be a boon for some, it has also led to some problems. Such as, the metro construction site on RV Road has turned into a garbage dump. “People dump garbage and metro workers dump the torn out materials that were used for construction,” Meena, who takes this route everyday, said. Meena also said,“ With debris spilling out, it’s difficult for the vehicles, especially for BMTC buses to pass.”To add to the woes of some, metro construction workers are forced to live on the sites because of lack of proper living arrangements. “Why can’t the officials make arrangements for the metro workers and their family members?” Prema Jayanna, a techie residing near South End Circle, asked.
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