City powerless against rain

City powerless against rain
Bengaluru,


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It took just another premonsoon shower to reveal the total lack of preparedness of the civic authorities in handling rain related eventualities. While several areas remained in darkness, over 100 trees were uprooted across Bengaluru disrupting traffic. When BBMP finally woke up, the rain had wreaked enough damage, report Chandrashekar G. and Amit S. Upadhye Trees lying across the roads disrupted traffic on Thursday as well despite BBMP staff working overnight to clear them. Power was not restored even 12 hours after the electric poles came down in Govindarajanagar and Vijayanagar

While memories of the two children and an adult, who were washed away in heavy rain last year, still haunt the city, the nightmare seems to be upon it once again as premonsoon showers have left a trail of destruction in many localities, and claimed the life of a techie, who was struck by a falling tree branch.
As many as 100 trees were uprooted and 250 electric poles damaged in Wednesday’s rain, which contributed to making this April one of the wettest the city has seen in recent years, according to BBMP sources. West Bengaluru bore the brunt of the rain fury as 10 trees were uprooted and branches of over 65 more fell on the roads in Vijayanagar, Basaveswaranagar, and RPC Layout, among other areas.

Trees lying across the roads disrupted traffic on Thursday as well despite BBMP staff working overnight to clear them.

And power was not restored even 12 hours after the electric poles came down in Govindarajanagar, Vijayanagar and their surroundings, plunging them into darkness. In many localities telephones lines have gone silent after the lines snapped in the winds that accompanied the rain.

“Damage on this scale indicates that neither BBMP nor Bescom are prepared to

deal with the problems associated with the monsoons, which are just weeks away now,” says Saroja Baadkar of Basaveshwarnagar, where the rains have done their share of damage as well. Technical director of Bescom, Nagesh H., promises to carry out the repairs as quickly as possible to restore power supply to areas that are having to do without it. “In all, 250 electric poles have fallen in the city and we are working on restoring them,” he assures.
BBMP commissioner B.L.

Meena claims the civic agency has a plan in place to tackle the problems that usually crop up during the monsoons in the city. “We have formed special teams and are also making sure there is better coordination with Bescom, BWSSB and BDA this time,” he says.