Remodelling project: main works ready

Remodelling project: main works ready

The Hindu

BMP launched work to remodel storm water drains in 2005

# Presentation cites problems affecting work
# Six more officers taken on deputation

Bangalore: Only 14.84 per cent of work under the storm water drain remodelling project had been completed but these included critical components of the projects, Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP) officials told the BMP Council meeting here on Tuesday.

In April 2005, the BMP had taken up remodelling of the storm water drains in the city under four packages that include Koramangala, Challaghatta, Hebbal and Vrishbhavathi valleys. In a presentation made to corporators, Harsh Gupta, Joint Commissioner (Works), cited the same problems that had continued to affect work under remodelling project. He said the encroachments of storm water drains across the city were still in the process of being surveyed. Six more officers had been taken on deputation to complete the survey and identify encroachments on drains, he said. Mr. Gupta said that in many places, buildings constructed near drains put immense pressure on retention walls of these drains, leading to their collapse. In such cases, demolitions would have to be carried out and/or new retention walls built, he said.

There was more than 160 km of storm water drains in the city but bed treatment work, an important component of remodelling, had not taken off on 90 km of roads, Mr. Gupta said. He attributed the delay in work to sewage lines that intersect or run along these drains.

Mr. Gupta said that the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board was of the view that shifting sewage lines would cost them nearly Rs. 400 crore. They were yet to identify spots where work was needed and tenders were yet to be called for, he said.

Shivashankar, Superintending Engineer in-charge of storm water drains, said that land was yet to be given by the Golf Club and permission from HAL authorities was yet to be taken to use of land for drains. Inaccessible secondary drains also posed major problems while cleaning, he said.

Mr. Shivashankar said that encroachments had been cleared at the end of the drains near the four valleys and the tunnels widened. With a nominal extension of six months, work would be completed, he said.

Gaurav Gupta, Special Commissioner, said that work on storm water drains would be incorporated into the project reports being prepared under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission.