Along Mysuru-Bengaluru Expressway, ‘development’ comes with a pinch of salt

The prestige project cuts across Bengaluru Rural and Mandya Lok Sabha constituencies, with its tail-end falling under the Mysore-Kodagu seat — all of which vote in the second phase on April 26. One of the key fights here is In Bengaluru Rural. The BJP has fielded first-timer Dr C N Manjunath against incumbent MP D K Suresh of the Congress. If Manjunath is the son-in-law of JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda, Suresh is the brother of Karnataka Congress chief D K Shivakumar.

Discussions in the villages falling under the seat revolve around local candidates, state politics, business and agriculture, with national politics getting a passing mention. The agricultural community is upset over the Expressway cutting through several villages, adding to their woes at the time of a drought. However, largely the Expressway is unlikely to be a factor, despite chatter over its exorbitant toll taxes.

First stop: Dodda Mallur, 60 km from Bengaluru, Bengaluru Rural Lok Sabha

Dodda Mallur in Ramanagara district is among those villages cut in half by the Expressway. Three months ago, Lakshmi, a resident, opened a grocery store, after a highway exit for the village was opened. “I pay Rs 8,000 rent and started three months ago. I’m hoping my business will grow from here,” she says.

However, she is not happy about the Expressway. “It’s a boon for people who are commuting between Mysuru and Bengaluru. But what have we got? I have to take a long detour just to reach the other side of our village. We realised too late how it would impact our lives. The government should now focus on rural roads and children’s education. Just building roads doesn’t change people’s lives,” Lakshmi says, adding that she gets the benefits of state government schemes such as Rs 2,000 every month for women heads of poor households and “zero” electricity bill.

Puttaraju, a BSc and BEd, runs a condiment shop in Dodda Mallur with his wife Vasantha. He says the Expressway has been a disaster. “We used to run a restaurant on the old highway, but had to close it down and shift here,” Puttaraju says. Vasantha adds that there might have been a jump in real estate prices but that doesn’t help them as they plan to keep their land.

Earlier, a gunta (1,089 sq ft) cost around Rs 1.5-2 lakh in the area; after the Expressway opened, it has shot up to Rs 6-7 lakh.

Vasantha adds, “Earlier, marginal farmers would sell fruits and vegetables on the old highway. Now you see none. Neither the local gram panchayat member nor the MP is concerned, as they are confident of winning elections by throwing money at voters. We want someone who will change the lives of villagers and farmers.”

Next stop: Channapatna, 67 km from Bengaluru, Bengaluru Rural Lok Sabha

The road has also hit the globally acclaimed Channapatna toy industry. Most of the shops, which were located along the old highway, have closed. The few that remain get scanty footfall.

Shiva Prasad, who has been running Sri Guru Raghavendra Toys along the old highway in Channapatna for two decades, says, “We used to sell Rs 20,000-25,000 worth goods on weekends. Now it’s down to Rs 2,000-3,000. I am going to shut down when I manage to sell off my old stock.”

But he says the Expressway is not a poll factor for him. “We vote for the betterment of the nation. Local issues won’t be a factor for me,” he says.

In contrast is Giriraj, who runs Shwetha Grand Palace and talks about the new entry and exit points to the highway opened near his village, Byrapatna, in Channapatna taluk of Ramanagara district. “I opened my shop three months ago. On weekends, there is good business,” he says, though he is also worried about the service roads that are coming up. “Many will start taking these to evade tolls, joining the Expressway further down,” he says, adding that his vote however will be on national issues.

Near Belakere village next to Channapatna, Naveen Byarahalli is also happy about the business at his new restaurant. “I pay Rs 30,000 rent every month, but we do business worth Rs 7,000-8,000 on weekdays and Rs 12,000 on weekends.”

Third stop: Hale Budanur, 104 km from Bengaluru, Mandya Lok Sabha

With 4,600 voters, Hale Budanur is one of the largest gram panchayats in Mandya. In October last year, a lake in the village breached its embankment, causing floods on the Expressway. But this year, hit by drought, the villagers are finding it hard to get water for farming.

“Many of the villagers have given up agriculture and moved to cities. With the Expressway, business too has been hit hard, and rainfall is a concern. We used to get water at 100-200 ft, now we don’t get any even 600 ft deep,” says Siddaramegowda, a farmer.

Fourth stop: Sundahalli, 106 km from Bengaluru, Mandya Lok Sabha

Closer to Mandya Lok Sabha, where former CM H D Kumaraswamy of the JD(S) is the NDA candidate against Venkataramane Gowda aka Star Chandru of the Congress, local candidates are more important.

Near Sundahalli, just beyond Mandya, Javaregowda, who runs a fresh juice stall, laments that the Expressway project took away a lot of land from the farmers. “A lot of farmers lost their lands as it was acquired by the government. Then, just as the Expressway was to be opened, the land prices spiked. Now, big builders have bought large plots to construct layouts and commercial complexes on the service roads, while villagers who sold their lands have got addicted to gambling. The Expressway has done more harm than good. When I vote, I’ll look at who is more accessible to the public.”

B.Com student Nakul, who is sipping tea at a shop next to Javaregowda, asks who is benefiting from the Expressway. “Although I agree that we can’t avoid this transition, has the government ever cared about issues of villagers, including bad roads? To go to nearby Srirangapatna, I have to travel 3 km on the service road,” Nakul says.

Fifth stop stop: Indavalu, 110 km from Bengaluru, Mandya Lok Sabha

“The Expressway is good, but what about its service roads, for ease of movement of villagers living along it? What about our drainage and bus shelters? It’s heaven for commuters between the two cities, but a pain for us, who have to take long detours via service roads,” says Nandish Gowda of Indavalu village. Though, he adds, this won’t be a factor when he goes to cast his vote in the Lok Sabha elections, as he is more concerned about the candidate.

Indavalu, with approximately 4,000 people, is located 110 km from Bengaluru. Many residents here say fewer villagers are dying from road accidents since the elevated Expressway opened, but there are other problems that continue to haunt them.

“The Expressway was inaugurated in a hurry. Since then, none has bothered to address our problems. Our village bus stand was taken down to build the service road. In the entire Bengaluru-Mysuru stretch, you won’t find a single bus stand now. Also, they left the drains on the service road side of many villages open, posing a danger to motorists and villagers,” says Nandish, as he points to an open drain in front of a school.

However, Nandish says it’s not going to be a factor when he votes. “Here, neither Modi, nor Rahul Gandhi or the party matters, but the individual candidate.”

Last stop: Bannimantap road, Mysuru, Mysuru-Kodava Lok Sabha

At the first tea stall near the entrance to Mysuru, a couple of youngsters say the Expressway will be a big factor, as it represents development.

Thyagaraj, a shopkeeper near St Philomena’s College in Mysuru, chimes in, “BJP MP Pratap Simha (who was denied the ticket this time) had worked hard to get this Expressway completed quickly. It has reduced travel time between Mysuru and Bengaluru. We’re also seeing more tourists on weekends. The Expressway and the increase in the number of trains will be a factor when I vote. If this is not development, what is?”