Commuters stranded in troubled waters

Commuters stranded in troubled waters
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bangalore: A hike in oil prices might not stop commuters from using their vehicles, but the waterlogged roads in the city on Saturday evening gave nightmares to commuters.
In one of the worst affected areas, people had to drag their vehicles along K H Road near Shanthinagar bus stand, where the road was flooded by several feet.
Traffic policemen who would otherwise man traffic signals were busy helping stranded commuters. They pushed the vehicles stuck in the water on K H Road. “The road was practically impossible to cross,” said one policeman.
J C Road was also severely affected by the rain and waterlogging. The south-west monsoon winds are yet to reach Karnataka, but Bangalore is already seeing waterlogging problems in areas such as Padmanabhanagar, Ittimadgu, Dollars Colony and Chamrajpet.
According to BBMP, some trees felled at Malleswaram, Rajajinagar, Infantry Road, Seeshadripuram and Basaveshwara junction near Chalukya Hotel.
The showers also brought to the doorsteps of Dollars Colony residents an unwelcomed guest — sewage. The rain made several residents revisit a nightmare they have been going through every monsoon for almost eight years now.
The 1st Cross area of Dollars Colony acts like a valley for all the surrounding areas and sewage from places like Indian Institute of Science and New BEL Road accumulates in the area, causing floods.
Satyamurthy, President of the Residents’ Welfare Association, told TOI that the problem has been a persistent one for many years with sewage flowing in from the surrounding areas.
Flood gates installed by residents were not of much use either because the water flowed above the gates.
A resident, Mala Bhat, said just like last year, water had flooded into the roads by two feet. “There is a storm water drain near my house that overflows. Though my house has not been affected due to the flood gates we have put up, my neighbours’ houses have been flooded,” she said.
Sriram Reddy, Joint Commissioner of the Water Board, said waterlogging was a persistent problem in the area.
“We have taken up repair works there. Desilting work is going on in that area and we will solve the problem soon. We have also got a sanction to remodel the drain,” he said.
Early rain
According to director of meteorological department, Muthuchami, the state can expect early rainfall this year as the south-west monsoon winds have already entered Kerala and Tamil Nadu. “Usually it begins from June 3, but since it was a day earlier in Kerala, we are expecting it on June 2”, he said.
Considering the heavy rainfall that Bangalore received, they are suspecting it to be the monsoon winds.