Jurisdiction confusion leaves Bayalu Basaveshwara Nagar road in darkness

A big problem is non-functioning street lighting, which poses safety problems. | Photo credit: File Photo

In West Bengaluru, residents of Bayalu Basaveshwara Nagar and Kommaghatta Phase 1 are suffering due to inadequate lighting infrastructure on a key link road, with jurisdictional ambiguities delaying action.

The 500 meter stretch of Bayalu Basaveshwara Nagar Main Road serves as a key link that provides connectivity to the various phases of the Nadaprabhu Kempe Gowda (NPKL) layout as it passes through the layout. However, the stretch has now turned into a garbage dump hotspot.

Part of the sides of the section is full of garbage, vegetation grows on both sides of the road. However, a major problem is non-functioning street lighting, which presents safety issues.

Madhusudhan, a resident of NPKL, explained that the stretch is also narrow and traveling at night increases the risk of accidents as most of the road is unlit.

“If a car comes at a decent speed with high beams, an accident is inevitable. Besides, garbage spilling on the road also forces commuters to move towards the center, increasing the risk,” he said. “It increases the chances of theft at night as the road is accessible to many residents. Even in the evening, people go for a walk along the stretch,” he said.

According to a Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) letter accessed by The Hindu, the problem was flagged by NPKL residents during a grievance redressal meeting.

On September 9, the BDA wrote to the Sulikere Panchayat that it verified the location of the stretch marked by residents for non-functional street lights and found that it fell under the panchayat limits. The BDA noted that commuters and residents were facing problems due to lighting issues and urged the panchayat to take action. However, Sulikere Panchayat officials say the stretch does not come under their jurisdiction.

Veerabhadraswamy, panchayat Development Officer, Sulikere, said that after receiving the letter, they also inspected the stretch and found that all the street lights under their jurisdiction were working well.

“On both sides of the stretch, the land is acquired by the BDA and comes under their jurisdiction. We have no jurisdiction to resolve issues in the BDA area,” he said.

When contacted, a senior BDA official said they would visit the site and re-verify the jurisdiction.

Published – 06 Oct 2026 21:16 IST