Submerged! City pays price for encroached lakes, drains

By Y. Maheswara Reddy | NT

Bengaluru: Heavy rain on Sunday night caused widespread damage across Bengaluru, with lake bunds breaking and waterlogging in many areas. Rain water entered 100 buildings at Tata Nagar and some 40 houses at Deshbandhu Nagar in Byatarayanapura Assembly constituency, due to water overflowing from Bommasandra Lake. “No loss of life was reported here but electrical goods and household items were damaged due to water entering our homes,” said Pushparaj, a resident. “We struggled a lot last night to clear the water. Now it is seeping in from the ground, causing a new set of problems.”

A stretch of the main road was washed away in Singapura, after the lake overflowed. Motorists are struggling to commute on the road. There was havoc in areas like Rukmini Layout, Gundappa Layout, Royal Enclave, Belmar Layout, and BTS Layout in Dasarahalli Assembly constituency. It has been alleged that rain water entered many buildings at these layouts due to encroachment of storm water drains in Dasarahalli Assembly constituency.

Moderate to heavy rainfall reported at Majestic, Gandhinagar, Seshadripuram, Malleswaram, Rajajinag ar, Basaveshwara Nagar, Vijayanagar, Deepanjali Nagar, Kengeri, Banashankari, Kumaraswamy Layout, Girinagar, Jayanagar, JP Nagar, Basavanagudi,, Hanumanthanagar, Shankarmutt, and Chamarajpet.

Stormwater drains will be widened: BBMP Chief

Bengaluru: Some good has come out of the debacle at Kendriya Bihar. BBMP Chief Gaurav Gupta, who was at the spot on Monday, says the existing storm water drains will be widened to 33 feet, from the existing eight. Three storm water drains, each eight metres wide, passed through the land and were closed with soil after which Kendriya Vihar was constructed. Waterlogging is common here but no permanent solution was sought.

“We have assisted residents with food, milk and other necessary essentials and distribution and necessary action has been taken. Stagnated water from the apartment premises has been channelized towards the storm water drain that connects Jakkur Lake,” Gupta said.

MLA S.R. Vishwanath, who was at the spot on Monday, said Amani Lake was dry when the building was constructed. However, “three storm water drains, each eight metres wide, which passed through the land were covered with soil.” The MLA has instructed the BBMP engineers to “clear encroachments without any favour or fear. I have already discussed this with the residents’ welfare association here.”

Shiva Prasad, President of the building’s Residents’ Association denies any encroachment. “It is a residential housing project meant for central government employees. No encroachment took place,” he insists, adding that residents are ready to cooperate with BBMP authorities to find a solution.