Residents come together to clean & reclaim Iblur-Agara junction footpaths | Bengaluru News – The Times of India
On Gandhi Jayanti, a neighborhood revival took shape at the Iblur-Agara junction along the Outer Ring Road, turning a long-standing pedestrian bottleneck into a shared space for walkers and cyclists. More than a hundred residents, spanning students to seniors, joined hands with city agencies to clear debris, refresh paint on flyover pillars, and reclaim scarce edge space for foot traffic.
The effort zeroed in on two stretches: the area beneath the flyover from Marathahalli toward Silkboard, and the footpath extending from Iblur Junction toward Sarjapura Road. Organizers say the momentum will continue with another cleanup session planned for the weekend to address the remaining pockets at the junction.
Why it mattered is obvious to anyone who traverses the area. This crossroads, where routes from Marathahalli, Sarjapur, Koramangala, and Sun City converge, has long been hazardous for pedestrians. With metro construction underway, the space under the structure filled with rubble, pushing people onto a busy roadway. A local initiative promoting walkable streets collaborated with the metro authorities, which cleared the debris once the adjacent work was completed, making a portion of the pathway usable again.
Officials from the regional planning body say the drive is as much about reclaiming public space as it is about aesthetics. They have signaled support for additional cleanups and community events—such as Rangoli art under the flyover—to sustain the reclaimed area and foster ongoing ownership among residents.
Participants describe the shift as a turning point for urban design in the area. The lack of a reliable pedestrian crossing at the signal forced people to improvise—standing in the middle of traffic, waiting in dangerous spots, or detouring to reach the narrow footpath. The revived stretch offers a clearer, safer route for families and older residents, underscoring the city’s need to translate planning into lived experience. Even with a skywalk in place, access issues—like non-working lifts and inconsistent connectivity—have driven pedestrians toward the road during peak hours. The cleanup is seen as a pragmatic step toward bridging that gap and making the junction more navigable for everyday use.
As the community looks ahead, organizers emphasize that this is just the beginning. By combining practical restoration with cultural touches and ongoing volunteer participation, the area could become a model for citizen-led urban improvement—a blueprint for turning congested corridors into accessible, livable spaces.
