Deluge puts 500 families at risk

Deluge puts 500 families at risk
BENGALURU








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With heavy rains continuing to lash the city on Sunday, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara palike (BBMP) had no option but to warn about 500 families in north-east Bengaluru to move out or face the consequences. These families are residents of low lying areas in Hennur, Banasawadi, Betta Halasur, Kogilu, Nagavara and surrounding areas.

The alert notice came from none other than BBMP commissioner S. Subramanya. “I have no control over the rains but I can assure Bengalureans that the water will recede on its own once the rains end. Till then alternative arrangements have been made for the 500 families at a nearby choultry,” said Mr Subramanya.

The Bangalore Development Authority(BDA) will have to bear a lot of the blame for the rain woes with the posh Dollars Colony also getting flooded, Mr Subramanya said. It’s the BDA which develops the layout and hands it over to the BBMP. Improper planning is the common cause of flooding but the BBMP has to face the wrath of the public during a heavy downpour, he alleged.

The central part of the city received 20.4 mm of rain (till 8.30 pm), ISRO Layout recorded 59 mm while Yelahanka received 13 mm on Sunday. “The road surface was covered with a sheet of brown water in 10 minutes after it started raining at 3.30 pm. In half an hour, traffic came to a grinding halt,” said Kumudini S, a resident of Jayanagar.

“The bus stand where I was waiting was crowded with commuters and twowheeler riders holding helmets with their bikes parked right in front of the bus stand. In no time, the road was flooded as water gushed out of the drains on CV Raman Road,” she said.

This flooding of prime and planned areas like Dollars Colony, RMV Extension, R T Nagar, Lower Palace Orchid, and Cantonment on Sunday proved that they were equally vulnerable during a deluge. Mekhri Circle, New BEL Road, Hennur Dibba, HRBR Layout and Central Power Research Institute (CPRI) quarters were also flooded giving commuters and residents a torrid time.

The Cantonment, JC Nagar near the TV Tower and Fun World resembled a Malnad locality as the rain poured down. Vehicles heading towards the Bengaluru International Airport (BIA) were stranded with a long row of them waiting for the rain to ease at the Cauvery junction magic box underpass.

Many autorickshaws and cars stopped in the middle of the road after water entered their engines adding to traffic problems.

Residents of CPRI quarters at New BEL Road near Sadashivanagar police station did not know what to do as the water flowed freely into their houses.

Traffic cops bore the brunt controlling the traffic flow in the heavy rain and helping owners of motionless vehicles to push then to the roadside.