CMCs are choking. Any suggestions?

CMCs are choking. Any suggestions?
The Times of India

Encroachments. Right where (un)quiet flows the drain. Even a casual look shows that constructions have sprung up below the drain level at most CMC areas.

Rapid urbanisation, development of new areas alongside the main drains and tank beds, unchecked growth on water bodies — all have led to flooding of many low-lying areas in different parts of the city.

The BCC has statistics on storm water drains in the city limits — 93.56 km of primary drains and 129.40 km of secondary drains — all of which converge at the four major valleys. The CMC areas have no such details. No one knows just where the water is supposed to flow!
“Our drains don’t have the capacity to withstand heavy rain. The underground drainage system being planned will take time to come up. There is no gradient system,’’ admits Bommanahalli commissioner Uday Shankar. He does not have suggestions either for modelling the area.

Rajarajeshwarinagar is an undulating and hilly area. Result: whenever it rains, residents have to contend with a stink. In Yelahanka, the scene is no better.

At Dr Ambedkar Housing Colony, 17 houses were damaged and six people have been taken up by the BCC; the valley has the highest fall and drop level of 104 mts. Similar operations have started at the Koramangala and Challaghatta valleys which, say authorities, would benefit low-lying areas in south Bangalore.

Meanwhile...

The BCC control room has no reported complaints from waterlogged areas, except for basements and houses in low-lying areas being flooded. However, residents called up The Times of India with their woes: injured. While the injured have been hospitalised, the CMC commissioner announced a compensation of Rs 500 for each.

Even at Surbhi Layout there, water flowed into houses, forcing residents to pump out water for hours together on Monday morning. “The drain at Alansandra started overflowing on Sunday and the stormwater drain was also choked,’’ commissioner Mohammed Kaleemulla said.
Desilting, unclogging and remodelling the valley over 100 layouts were flooded at the Kalappa Extension in Basavanagar near Airport Road. The control room said 35 trees were uprooted in different parts of the city.

Says R R Lokeshwar, resident of Nandi Enclave at Banashankari III Stage, “The basement was flooded; pumps were put to use. We were wading in knee-deep water.’’