Community hall gets improved facilities

BANGALORE: Started in 1965,the corporation community hall located in Murphy Town acts as an important landmark in the area. The 41 year old building owned by the Bruhat Bangalore Mahangara Palike (BBMP) has surmount significance in the role it plays to the residents of the area.As a secular building it plays host to festivals and celebrations of people of different religions across the locality.When City Express inspected the site, the birthday party of a one year girl was being celebrated. The atmosphere held a festive mood as joyous children played around the area with birthday caps on their heads and colourful balloons in their hands. The hall can accommodate around 600 people and is occupied on most days of the month.But the problem with the community hall lies in the broken water pipes, unpainted halls and the general maintainence of the building.A resident on the condition of anonymity said that due to the state of neglect in which the hall has been left in, it is losing the aura and grandeur it once had.He also added that leaving it the way it is presently would put the residents in severe distress.ST Mani who claims that he acts as the care taker of the community hall said, “Functions are held between 10 am and 12 noon and also between 4 pm and midnight.The cost of the hall depends on the function that is to be celebrated. The minimum amount for a function to be celebrated in hall starts from `1,500. Catering charges are not included in the amount.” He also added that he has invested his own money for the maintanence of the taps, main gate, electricity and painting of the hall. Further claims were made that despite many complaints to the authorities, no action had been taken to develop the community hall.The local corporator of the area is Savitha Ramesh. She said, “A proposal to improve the community hall has been submitted. The budget allotted for the same is between `3 and 4 lakhs. Painting the hall along with improving the facilities are also on the charts.” He added that the community hall would be improved upon in every area in order to make it convenient for the residents.Venkatesh Murthy, Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike’s chief engineer for the area said, “I will take steps and see to it that there are proper water facilities, electricity, clean surroundings. I will also repair and fix pipes wherever there is a need for it. And I will ensure that the work is completed within the next two months.