Delay in BMP project to remodel drains

Delay in BMP project to remodel drains
Deccan Herald

The project has remained only on paper though the entire plan was ready over a year ago.

Thirteen-year-old John Bilmoria and his friend Moses Karna would not have met with a tragic end in the gushing rain water in Vrushabhavathi valley on Sunday, had the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP) remodelled the storm water drain (SWD) as scheduled.

Though it is not very clear as to how they fell into the drain, one version is that they slipped at the edge of the drain which is very steep. Unlike other places, the drain near Sujatha Theatre (where the accident took place) does not have parapet wall on either side.

Residents also said that the rain water would not be flowing with so much force if the drain was desilted.

“The drain is supposed to be 10-feet wide, but due to accumulation of silt, water flows in a three-feet channel-like space inside the drain. As a result, the water flows with much force,” they complained. In fact, the Remodelling Project of the four major valleys -- Vrushabhavathi, Challaghatta, Hebbal and Koramangala -- is planned to construct parapet walls, remodel the structure wherever necessary and desilt.

But the project has so far remained only on paper though the entire plan was ready over a year ago, BMP official sources told Deccan Herald.

Estimated at Rs 350 crores, the remodelling is planned to be done on the entire stretch of 225 kms of the four valleys, running across the city. The City-based Stup consultants has prepared the blue print for the project.

According to BMP officials, a major portion of these valleys is in a similar state.

“Incidents of stray cattle falling into these valleys are common. Many times they die inside the drain and even their carcasses are not found,” BMP officials pointed out.

Sources said that the BMP will be able to take up the project only after the monsoon, as it is still in the tendering stage. Similarly, the work on desilting shoulder and secondary drains is yet to be completed in many places, while monsoon is expected to arrive shortly.

BMP Chief Engineer Rame Gowda, however, said that nearly 70 per cent of the work to desilt shoulder drains is completed.

Disowns

On the death of two boys, he said that the BMP is in no way connected with the incident. The boys had gone there to play and accidentally fell into the drain.

There is no lapse on the part of the BMP, he insisted.

‘Nobody cared’

When contacted, Mayor R Narayanaswamy said: “Nobody cared when I raised the issue of delay in implementing remodelling project in the council.

Everybody is talking about it now after the tragic death of two boys.”

Though he alleged that there was something fishy about the project, he refused to elaborate.

“I will comment about it after the byelections,” he added.