By CASEY NEILL
FRANK Ekenaike is calling on the council to address health and safety in a “forgotten pocket” of Dandenong South.
He works at logistics and purchasing business Edsan Plastics in Hammond Road on the corner of Bangholme Road.
His brother Bert bought the land 12 years ago and believed that the unmade section of Bangholme Road would be sealed within two years.
The City of Greater Dandenong and VicRoads project would allow traffic to link more effectively with EastLink, the South Gippsland Freeway and Frankston-Dandenong Road.
“Nothing is happening as far as I know,” Mr Ekenaike said.
“I would like something in writing. I would like to know when it will happen.”
He said the council periodically graded the road but this was not controlling dust.
“We get all the dust into our canteen and into our maintenance place and into the factory,” he said.
“I know some people get sick breathing this stuff in.
“About two months ago I was outside working and by the time it came to the afternoon I couldn’t talk.
“I got all this dust into my lungs.
“I suffered with a sore throat for about six weeks.
“What is the point of wasting so much money when you could just asphalt the road?”
Mr Ekenaike said there was no spoon drain in front of the property so rain caused flooding.
“We pay taxes and our rates,” he said.
“We pay something like $50,000 a year in rates.
“Another year has come and gone and nothing has been done.”
He said the council also neglected neighbouring grassland.
“We get a letter and if we don’t cut the grass in one month we get a fine,” he said.
“Does the council get a fine for not cutting the grass for six months?”
The council’s infrastructure planning and services manager Oliver Vido said the council and VicRoads would undertake the Bangholme Road upgrade in two stages respectively.
Stage one is to include design and construction of one lane each way and a bridge over Eumemmerring Creek.
Mr Vido said the project would cost about $14 million and would be considered as part of the council’s Capital Improvements Program 2015-2020.
“Timing of this project is subject to funding,” he said.
Mr Vido said Bangholme Road’s “low lying nature” made it very difficult for interim drainage solutions.
“However any future upgrades to Bangholme Road will include the provision of stormwater drainage infrastructure,” he said.
Mr Vido said grass along rural road reservations in the municipality was mowed periodically four times each year.
“The mowing program includes a herbicide treatment to control grass growth,” he said.
