Civic Agencies apathy exposed: Bengaluru residents reel under water-logging woes, power cut amid heavy rains

Pramesh S Jain & Yogesh K Porwar

 

Several parts of Bengaluru faced severe water-logging amidst very heavy rainfall in the city on Thursday.

Buses,cars and other vehicles were seen struggling to meander through the cascading water.

Homes in some parts of the city were submerged in nearly waist-deep water due to the downpour.

People were stranded in several parts of the city due to water-logged streets and pavements.

An emergency operation had to be carried out in some areas by Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and the fire department.

The weather department or IMD has given a ‘heavy rain’ forecast for Bengaluru for three more days.

Bengaluru’s civic agency chief has asked his force to get ready to speedily attend to complaints such as uprooted trees and water-logging on roads and traffic intersections.

The disruption of power supply for several hours during the rain added to the woes of the residents in BTM, J P Nagar, Jayanagar, Bagalgunte and other areas.

In Yelachenahalli, water gushed inside over 60 houses.Meanwhile,the citizens’ group questioned the authorities over the encroachment of drains and lakes which they said lead to waterlogging in just a few hours of rain.

Chief Commissioner’s inspection and meeting in connection with yesterday’s rain in the city :

Houses in several areas were flooded because of the heavy rain in the city yesterday.In this regard, problems should be solved after immediate spot inspection.

Necessary steps should be taken by concerned officials after taking up a survey in waterlogged areas,to provide compensation,instructed the Chief Commissioner,Gaurav Gupta to the officials.

Addressing a virtual meeting today,related to yesterday’s heavy rain in the city,he said that,due to the heavy rain poured near Vidyapeeth last night (about 73 mm), around 80 houses near Kamakya theatre were flooded.

Inspections were held in the night,along with the honorable administrator.Officials have been instructed to resolve the issue on location.

Start divisional control rooms immediately:

There are 9 permanent control rooms in the BBMP limits and 63 temporary control rooms will be installed during the rainy season.

The chief commissioner instructed the officials to install temporary control rooms at the divisional level immediately based on the necessity.

And, there are 21 teams to clear the trees; the chief commissioner instructed the officials to deploy 8 teams for night and the remaining 13 teams for the day duty.

About 150 houses in Uttarahalli area of Bommanahalli Zone have been flooded with water.Meals and water has been provided to the local residents.

The surveys,in connection with the waterlogged houses are being taken up through the officials from the revenue and the engineering section”, the Bommanahalli Zone’s Chief Engineer said in the meeting.

The rain water accumulated in city’s Pramoda layout,Mallathahalli,golf club in the eastern zone and Doddanekundi in the Mahadevapura zone has been cleared, the officials said.

Midnight visit to Kamakya by BBMP Administrator and the Chief Commissioner:

Due to the heavy rain (about 73 mm) in and around the Vidyapeetha Kamakya theatre in the South Zone,water from the storm water drain has flooded to the low-lying areas.

In this regard, at around 11 pm, the BBMP Administrator,Rakesh Singh,Chief Commissioner, Gaurav Gupta,and other officials visited the site and directed the officers to take immediate action.

As the rainwater from the storm water drain moved backwardly,20 households in the Ganesh Mandir ward have been flooded with three feet of water and household appliances have been damaged by the floodwaters.

Around 30 houses in Chikkasandra Ward have been flooded with water.Pourakarmikas and BBMP personnel are clearing the water logged into houses and accumulated on roads,using shilt and tractors.

The residents are temporarily provided with meals and water, and the Revenue and Engineering Department’s officials are surveying the households damaged.

Rain details (in MM) in the city:

73mm in Vidyapeeth,42mm in Sampangiramanagar,45mm in VV Pura,42mm in Bommanahalli,40mm in Bellandur,36mm in Anjanapura,37 mm in Gaali Anjaneya Temple,34 mm in RR Nagar and Koramangala,31 mm in BEML layout.

There were 10 cases of tree uprooting in the city, 10 cases of waterlogged, houses, and 3 cases of culvert block. Immediate measures have been taken regarding the cases.