From valley to concrete jungle

From valley to concrete jungle
Vrishabhavathi, Lifeline Of West Bangalore, Is A Shambles


The Times of India


Bangalore: What was once a valley is now a booming construction hub. Where water should flow, concrete houses stand. So it’s but natural that there should be trouble.

All of the present Rajarajeshwarinagar stands on an encroached valley bed. Of this, 12 per cent is a lake bed. Three slums, 1,000 houses and a few minor factories, and the result is the flood of October 2005.

Every politico who wanted to make a statement visited Mysore Road, Nayandahalli, Hosakerehalli and promised the usual — drains will be remodelled, encroachments will be mercilessly demolished. But officials entrusted with civic tasks admit: Not even 1 per cent of the work has been done.

Since November last year, the task of revving up Vrishabhavathi Valley — the lifeline of West Bangalore — was in the “fundsstarved’’ Rajarajeshwarinagar CMC. After the CMC’s lack of wherewithal was exposed, the onus landed on the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike in February 2006. A Rs 17.47-crore plan has been submitted to the government and is awaiting approval.

Does this mean, between November 2005 and April 2006, work has been carried out only on paper? Explains BMP superintendent engineer (storm water projects) Mrutyunjay, “The hydraulics at this place has to be designed carefully. It came to the BMP in February, within a month we have finished the design, plan and costs. In three months, Rajarajeshwarinagar will be in a better position.’’

Before embarking on any development work in Rajarajeshwarinagar, a pertinent requirement is the understanding of the undulating nature of the area. It was once a hillock, where apparently even as late as 2001, residents have spotted elephants, wild cats, red-throated bulbul and a variety of fauna. Explains Sampath Thomas, who has seen the area since its hinterland days, “I have seen appaling encroachments mushrooming on government land. If the government does not recover its land it will hit people who come to buy and invest on property here. If either Hosakerehalli or Nayandahalli lakes breach, the water will flow into this undulating area. This area has the kind of land suitable for a film city kind of project.’’

A scary glimpse was offered during last year’s rain when Mysore Road had to be blocked for traffic for 48 hours because the lakes had breached and it was dangerous for commuter movement. Should rainfall of similar intensity hit Bangalore this year too, there will be a predictable repeat.

These are the situations engineers encounter when they visit the place for on-site inspections — timber yards atop rajakaluves, closed vents which are as good as dead, a 1-metre fall level — the altitude to which water can flow down and seep during monsoon.

What flummoxes people is — why can’t encroachments be demolished? Their apprehensions are warranted, considering the High Court had come down heavily on Ideal Developers, who have encroached upon 7.1 acres of lake bed area. To date there hasn’t been a single demolition or any action taken. “These people have obtained stay orders,’’ say CMC officials.

Early February this year, the BMP had identified about 25 properties for demolitions. Even before the demolition squad could reach the spot, land owners had obtained stay orders.

Five years ago, there was a Lok Ayukta raid on CMC officials. The findings were so shocking that khata issuance had to be stopped. If that is history, why are officials still giving khatas to builders and developers to carry out construction on unsuitable land? Thomas even says that some buildings which now stand on soft soil have begun to resemble the Leaning Tower of Pisa! The most affected will be the BEML Housing Society, which set up shop here years back.