Low-lying areas may face the brunt again

Low-lying areas may face the brunt again

The Hindu

Though efforts are on to minimise rain-related woes, people are apprehensive of a repeat of last year's problems


BANGALORE: With Bangalore receiving pre-monsoon showers and the monsoon likely to set in early next month, people, especially those in the low-lying areas, are worried about a repeat of the miseries they faced during the rainy season last year and also in October that year.

While water-logging affected people in low-lying areas, residents in the other areas too felt the pinch as overflowing drains had brought traffic to a halt on several important roads.

Though civic agencies are working towards minimising rain-related woes, the public and the traffic police feel that the agencies should take adequate measures to check water-logging and flooding this year.

The police said they could not prevent such a situation. The most they could do was to divert traffic from the affected areas.

Alternative roads

However, alternative roads were not available in the peripheral areas, especially those situated along the highways, senior police officials said.

Each jurisdictional police station had drawn up traffic diversion plans to be put in use in case of flooding, they said.

Heavy rain that lashed the city during the last two weeks of October 2005 had thrown life out of gear for over a week.

Traffic movement was completely disrupted on Hosur Road, Bannerghatta Road, Kanakapura Road, Hennur-Geddalahalli Road, Mysore Road and surrounding areas.

Overflowing tanks

Overflowing tanks and lakes in these areas forced road users to wade through knee-deep water.

As the water level increased, they had to park their vehicles elsewhere and take bigger vehicles to reach their destinations. Many vehicles were stranded and some broke down giving an opportunity to roadside mechanics to make some money.

As the Hebbal and Nagawara tanks overflowed, Thanisandra Main Road remained under water for over a week affecting life of residents of surrounding areas.

Poor drainage system and delay in construction of a culvert on the major storm water drain had caused the problem.

The Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) used pneumatic concrete drillers to cut road medians near Roopena Agrahara on Hosur Road to drain stagnant water.

The tendency of motorists to rush once rain stopped had also been a cause for traffic disruption, the police said.

As it required time for rainwater to drain off roads naturally, this tendency among motorists made it difficult for the police to ensure smooth traffic movement, they said. This problem was reported particularly from J.C. Road, Lal Bagh Road, Old Madras Road, Kengal Hanumanthaiah Road and Bellary Road. The Fire Force personnel can pump out water from water-logged areas to clear roads for traffic.

However, if the entire locality was flooded and there were no outlets, they too could do nothing to the people, they said.