Residents want better, cleaner Kadalekai Parishe

BENGALURU: With Basavanagudis historic Kadalekai Parishe 2025 set to begin on Monday, residents have raised concerns about recurring problems and appealed for a cleaner, better organised event this year, especially since the fair has been extended from three to five days. Residents told TNIE that sanitation remains one of the biggest challenges, as many stall vendors practically live in their stalls throughout the event. Satyalaxmi Rao, President of Basavanagudi ward no 154 Residents Association, said that garbage and foul odour remain persistent problems, worsened by vendors bathing and staying at the stalls. She also added that the association has repeatedly requested a functional toilet near the Ganapati temple, as the existing one is in poor condition. She added that parking and traffic issues are also frequent, with vehicles parked haphazardly across streets, blocking movement, even in cases of emergency. Although multi-level facility parking with 120124 slots is available, she pointed out that the spaces would fill up quickly due to the large crowds and called for more designated parking areas, she stated. Sudheendra Rao, a resident of the locality for four decades, stressed for uninterrupted bus movement through Basavanagudi as many bus routes have been re-routed, urging police to vigorously implement measures ensuring commuters face no hardship. He stressed that cleanliness and orderliness must be prioritised and monitored by the Greater Bengaluru Authority. He also urged authorities to raise awareness among vendors about using public toilets and disposing of waste responsibly. Another resident, KR Mohan, who has lived in the area for over 70 years, recalled the Parishes origins and its expansion from a small event within Bugle Rock Park to a five-day fair drawing visitors from across the region. While welcoming the growth, he said essential amenities such as clean toilets, bathing facilities and food arrangements must be provided. He added that while residents tolerate the inconvenience during the festival days, the area used to take more than two days of the event to restore to normal, extending to at least a week. Now with the fair itself being conducted for five days the area may now take 1015 days to return to normalcy. Raising further concerns, Guruprasad Rotti, Secretary of Heritage Basavanagudi Residents Welfare Forum, urged that road diversions should not exceed five days and all public places should be restored after the fair, including refilling potholes with asphalt.