BMP blunder floods ST Bed Layout

BMP blunder floods ST Bed Layout
New Indian Express

BANGALORE: In the ST Bed area in the city, Bangalore Mahanagara Palike’s (BMP) engineering blunder has left the level of storm water drain lower than the level of receiving end, making the sewage and excess rainwater literally flow in the reverse direction resulting in floods.

The civic body recently widened and deepened the drains in ST Bed Layout. The secondary sewage drain and storm water drain have now been raised to 10 feet.

When this drain was made by BMP in 2003 its left bank was originally at the level of water line and allowed all overflow from ST Bed to dissipate in the low-lying area to the left of the drain, extending up to Bellandur Tank.

Now its height has been raised preventing natural flow of water from main storm water drain from the breach point, which has no exit. And so it flows back into ST Bed Layout. That was the main cause flood on June 20.

“Floods are common after the level of the drain was raised. If the excess rainwater enters this drain, we will have no access to Nirgun Mandir and Gem Plaza apartments near ST Bed Layout. Reverse flow of water not just floods ST Bed Layout, also enters Ashwini Layout, parts of Ejipura and Koramangala 1st Block,” said Prakash Murthy, resident of ST Bed Layout.

”On June 20, water level increased rapidly and went up to five feet after just a few hours of rains,” he added. The entire catchment area after ST Bed Layout has been converted into a housing society.

Any construction activity happening on the banks of the drain results in the drain getting filled up with debris and get choked.

However, sources from the BMP said the remodelling of the drain was necessary in order to increase the water carrying capacity of the drain.