Residents blame BMP for overflowing drains

Residents blame BMP for overflowing drains

The Hindu

Remodelling of Vrushabhavathi Valley under remaining packages will be taken up in 15 days: official

# Remodelling work delayed by almost two years
# Saturday night's rain hits several areas along Mysore Road



RAIN HAVOC: The overflowing Vrushabhavathi near Mysore Road and at right is a Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation bus which got stuck as a culvert caved in on the main road to Ullal Satellite Town in Bangalore on Sunday. — Photo: K. M urali Kumar


BANGALORE: Last April, heavy inflow of water into the major storm water drain along the Vrushabhavathi Valley near the Sujatha cinema caused flooding of low-lying areas and affected over a 100 families in the four cross roads of Ramchandrapuram and Lakshminarayanpuram.

The floodwaters backed up, as the vent of the old bridge near the cinema could not carry the heavy load. Heavy inflow into the drain claimed two lives this May, and residents fear more could be in store for them.

Though Saturday night's incessant rain has not led to such fatal accidents, residents are worried more rain will definitely cause severe problems.

With work on remodelling of this valley being delayed by almost two years, silt has accumulated in the drains flowing along the valley, thereby blocking them and causing overflowing.

Following last night's rain, areas near the Gali Anjaneya Temple, behind Quality Biscuit factory, at the junction of Banashankari Ring Road and Mysore Road have been severely hit. The road from Rajarajeshwari Nagar arch to the main gate of Jnanabharathi is under water causing inconvenience to motorists.

Blaming the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP) for the rain havoc, R. Nyatappa, a resident of Gopalpura near Rajajinagar Industrial Estate, said: "If the remodelling had started two years ago as promised, such rain-related problems could have been avoided."

Though BMP officials claim remodelling work is on, residents felt rain-related accidents can be checked only if the overflowing of the drains is prevented.

"Silt should be removed from the drains regularly so that water gushing into the drains can flow smoothly. Instead, the officials keep blaming the residents for throwing garbage into the drains," another resident, R. Mahadevappa, said.

"The main storm water drain, which was supposed to be 10 feet wide has narrowed down to three feet now. The inflow is heavy because the drain is narrow and cannot take the load. After the area was affected during the rain last year, the BMP did nothing except removing a little silt here and there. It is unfortunate that the civic body acts only when there are some casualties," he pointed out.

Stup consultants, which has prepared a detailed project report for the remodelling of the valley, has identified "multiple-span culverts" in several spots. As these supporting pillars obstruct the flow of water, it has suggested remodelling of the entire drain network.

The work was divided into five packages and tenders were called for. Mayor R. Narayanaswamy even performed the `guddali puja' for remodelling work under the 3rd and 4th packages in August.

But except for removing silt from the drains in a few stretches from Tumkur Road to Magadi Road and some small civil works, there has been no progress, residents said.

When contacted, the BMP Chief Engineer (Projects), A.M. Ranganath, told The Hindu that work was on. Denying there was any delay, Mr. Ranganath said work under the remaining packages would start within a fortnight.

Phone numbers to call

In case of rain-related emergencies, people can call the BMP Control Room (Head Office) on Ph: 22221188, 22297595, 22100031, 22100032, 22100033, 22100034, 22100035; Control Room (East) Ph: 22975803, Control Room (South) Ph: 26566362 or Control Room (West) Ph: 23341692.