Puttenahalli to go ‘underground’

Puttenahalli to go ‘underground’
The Times of India

Bangalore: Nothing worked in flood-prone Puttenahalli. The water vents were flooded to the brim with encroachments and there was no outlet for the excess water. The area had become a puzzle for civic authorities.

Public co-operation was also nil here. There were no lands available for the construction of drains. Moreover, demolition of encroachments was not feasible.
However, with monsoon upon us, civic authorities have sought a quick fix to save the area from inundation.

The area was surveyed by Stup Consultants and based on their recommendations, the BDA will construct storm water drains beneath the existing roads at Ashthalakshmi Layout in Puttenahalli.

Last monsoon, this layout was affected the worst. Water from Puttenahalli lake had overflowed and inundated the area. The place had four-feet of water for almost a week.

Sources told The Times of India that two roads have been identified. They run from the lake’s mouth to the nearest stormwater drain. Beneath these roads, the drains will be laid. The tender for the work will be invited shortly. The work is estimated to cost Rs 15 crore.

Of the two roads, one will be laid from the waste weir of Sarakki lake. The other from the sluice gate of the lake (the opening carrying excess water from the water body). These drains for upto three km. They will then be linked to the primary drain in Bilekahalli on Bannerghatta Road.

A comprehensive survey carried out by the land encroachment eviction committee, revealed that 29 tanks such as Begur, Sarakki, Puttenahalli, Madiwala, Agara, Bellandur, Nagawara, had overflown as its raja kaluves were blocked by 708 unauthorised constructions.

Of all these lakes, three lakes — Nayandahalli on Mysore Road, Sarakki tank and Puttenahalli lake off JP Nagar — were the worst as they had caused major inundation due to the primary valleys being blocked.

The main valley of Puttenahalli lake is encroached upon by 28 buildings and Sarakki lake’s raja kaluve is blocked by 9 buildings causing the deluge in southern areas of Bangalore. Though authorities have demolished encroachments in other areas, at Puttenahalli, a stay order was obtained from the Court.

The area is so cramped with buildings that there is no extra land to build drains. Despite the fact that the government was sitting on Rs 42 crore sanctioned for flood relief projects in Puttenahalli!

Meanwhile, the BDA was also contemplating constructing drains and widening the roads in Puttenahalli by acquiring nearly two areas of land at a cost of Rs 20 crore for which 500 buildings in the area will be torn down. But this proposal hit a road block as acquisition only ended in litigations.