BCC set to tackle rain menace

BCC set to tackle rain menace
Vijay Times

THE Bangalore City Corporation (BCC), which came in for a lot of criticism from the public for the poor quality of services that it had provided during the monsoons last year , has promised better services this year .

With monsoons round the corner , the BCC claims it is all set to tackle rainrelated problems and that the public will not have to face problems like those of last year .

During the incessant rain during September-October 2005, the BCC control room was flooded with complaints of storm water drains overflowing. Most of those who had called up complained of streets being flooded and water entering homes.

Residents in low-lying areas of the City and the ones adjacent to SWDs were the worst hit.

Areas like R T Nagar , Koramangala, Banaswadi, parts of Jayanagar , Girinagar , RPC Layout, Padmanabhanagar , Indiranagar , Jananbharathi, V ajpayee Nagar , Arakere, Mangammanapalya, Hongasandra, Pai Layout in K R Puram, Bhadrappa layout, off Hebbal Ring Road, Maruthinagar, Bannerghatta Road, Mysore Road and Kengeri were some of the places where life came to a standstill.

Most of these areas were completely marooned with knee-deep water , throwing normal life out of gear .

NO NEED TO PANIC

However , the BCC has stated that residents in low lying areas need not panic this time, as it has stepped up measures to avoid flooding.

The BCC has identified places like Ejipura, HAL II and III stage, Koramangala, Rajmahal, Mysore Road, Magadi Road and Vyalikaval as low lying areas which will be the first hit as soon as th monsoon sets in. Accordingly , the BCC has taken up desilting of SWDs that run along these areas.

CONTROL ROOMS TO BE WELL EQUIPPED

BCC Engineer-in-Chief Ramegowda informed that the civic body had geared itself up to handle any exigencies during this rainy season.

"The control rooms in all the zones will be equipped with men and material. From the first week of March, we have been identifying spots where rain water stagnates. W ater will no longer stagnate at these places as we have provided a lead off for the rainwater to flow easily ," he added.

"Desilting work is in progress in the identified drains. The work is being carried out by gangmen belonging to the Health and Engineering departments," he said. "This is to avoid the delay in deploying vehicles. Whenever a complaint is received, these teams will be alerted to reach the spot immediately ," he explained.

The teams will be stationed at Koramangala, BTM Layout, Hosakerehalli, Nayandahalli, Gubbanna Layout, Sujatha Theatre, Mahalakshmi Layout, Sanjaynagar , Kadugondanahalli, and Airport Road ( Vinayakanagar).

SUPPORT FROM RESIDENTS ’ ASSOCIATIONS

"Under the Samparka Bandhu programme, we will identify various residents’ welfare associations and voluntary organisations to alert us to rain-related problems in their wards such as flooding and overflowing of storm water drains," Ramegowda informed. The recently introduced six SWORD vehicles, which have been deployed to prevent debris from being dumped into SWDs, will be utilised to go round the City during rains to handle emergencies, he informed.

Relief assured to vulnerable areas

BCC commissioner K Jairaj assured that he will put a plan of action in place to tackle rain-related problems during the coming monsoon.

Jairaj, who had a detailed meeting to review the remodelling work in all the four sewage valleys with the engineers concerned, observed, "Of the four valleys, the Vrishabhavathi Valley has several obstructions, thanks to unauthorised construction and encroachments. With just a month’s time at our disposal, it is quite impossible to clear them. However , work is in progress in all the valleys, especially at the Koramangala valley where we’ve been able to make good progress ." "Our minimum mandatory programme is to see that the vulnerable wards are protected this year . I have directed the engi neers accordingly and hope to provide relief to citizens to the best of our abilities the commissioner said.