Compound wall of Bengaluru mosque to be demolished for road-widening

In a bid to decrease traffic congestion in the locality, the compound wall of Jamia Masjid here will be demolished in order to aid road-widening.

Members of the Shia community gave their nod for the demolition of the compound wall of one of the city's oldest mosque on Sunday. They also donated 1000 square feet of land for road widening in the most congested part of the city.

"We have decided to donate over 1000 sq ft of land for road widening, and also around 4000 sq ft from the graveyard area. The sole purpose behind this is the convenience of city dwellers. We all know how dangerous the traffic gets, and to ease the traffic, we have taken this step," the committee president Mir Ali told ANI.

India's Silicon Valley is known for its high traffic levels and potholes, and the recent torrential downpour has not improved the situation.

Just over a week ago, reports suggested that at least five people died in rain-related incidents in the city, days after four lost their lives in pothole-related accidents.

On October 2, a couple was run over by a bus when the husband, Anthony Joseph, 55, tried to negotiate a pothole on the Mysore Road flyover. He and his wife Sagai Mary, 53, died on the spot.

In a road accident, a woman rider of a two-wheeler was crushed to death under a truck while she was negotiating potholes at the Nayanadahalli junction.

All the accidents have happened on arterial roads, including a state highway.

These incidents have brought the Karnataka Government under sharp criticism over the alleged tardy progress on improving the condition of roads and sewage and desiltation of storm-water drainages.