Bengaluru’s waste transfer operations on Krishna Rajendra Road in V.V. Puram are forcing pedestrians off the footpath, with stagnant leachate and persistent stench reported around the National College metro station. The daily activity is being carried out by a private contractor collecting waste from bulk generators, according to Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Ltd. (BSWML) officials.
The affected stretch is a key pedestrian and public transport corridor in South Bengaluru. K.R. Road connects Gandhi Bazaar, Vani Vilas Road and South End Road, and includes the National College metro station and multiple bus stops. Waste transfer has reportedly taken place at both ends of the metro station, despite repeated complaints from commuters and pedestrians.
The waste is being transferred on the carriageway while liquid from the waste has accumulated on the footpath. Commuters said the conditions become worse during rain, when the affected walkway becomes difficult to use. The obstruction is particularly significant because the stretch is used by metro passengers, bus commuters, nearby college students and residents walking between adjoining neighbourhoods.
Rajappa, an autorickshaw driver, told The Hindu that compactors had been stationed at multiple points on different days, spreading the smell along the road. He said that after complaints, the operation shifted from the Indira Canteen side towards Vani Vilas Road, and another location near the Bescom office was subsequently occupied.
Rahul Gowda, a student at a nearby college, said he and others had stopped using one side of the road because of the stench. He said leaked liquid had stagnated on the footpath and that the walkway became unwalkable when it rained. He also said waste transfer had stopped at the location for several days before resuming.
A BSWML official overseeing waste collection in the Chickpet limits said the compactors and vehicles belonged to a contractor handling waste from bulk generators. The official said BSWML had warned the contractor and later filed an oral police complaint, after which an inspection was conducted and operations stopped at the location. According to the official, the contractor has since resumed the activity.
The issue comes as the Greater Bengaluru Authority carries out a footpath-clearance drive focused on pedestrian safety. BSWML officials said they would hold a meeting soon to address the waste transfer activity on the K.R. Road stretch. The official did not provide a specific date for the meeting or disclose an alternative transfer location.
