BWSSB claims few manhole complaints

BWSSB claims few manhole complaints
Vijay Times

THE residents of Bangalore can now hope to bid goodbye to the problem of overflowing manholes during monsoons.

At least, thats the impression that one gets after listening to the assurances given by the authorities of the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB).

The authorities claim that following their tenday massive manhole cleaning drive, there have been very few complaints from residents about choked and overflowing manholes.

The ten-day drive saw the cleaning and desilting of about 34,703 manholes including the sub-mains.

Though the BWSSB had set a target to desilt around 40,000 manholes, it managed to successfully clean only around 35,000 manholes situated in the low-lying areas.

BWSSB chief engineer (maintenance) Khandappanavar told BVT that with the board taking up desilting of manholes at critical points in the identified areas, the number of complaints with regard to overflowing manholes during heavy rains and the same being choked would be comparatively less.

"We hardly received any complaints regarding flooding and choking of manholes during the recent rains that lashed the City," he added.

Further, he explained that the BWSSB had taken up desilting of manholes that were 1 to 1.5 mtr deep. "Desilting of manholes is a routine job and we will continue to clean the remaining manholes across the City in the coming days," Khandappanavar said.

"Manholes in low-lying areas posed a major problem last year. In order to avoid a similar situation this time, we identified manholes in low-lying areas and got them cleaned before the rainy season. If there are complaints from the other parts of the area, we will immediately attend to it," he assured.

Will there be no reason for the public to complain about overflowing of manholes this rainy season?. Well, one has to wait and see if the water board is ready to face the vagaries of monsoon.



Total number of manholes

Across the City - 1,26, 385 West division - 23,432 North division - 16, 587 Central Bangalore - 27,371 East division - 20, 157 South division - 20, 157 South - East division - 14, 700