When BBMP failed the city

Sanjay Murthy | NT

 Bengaluru

Torrential overnight downpour in the intervening night between Sunday and Monday resulted in flooding at several vulnerable areas of the city. Most of the severely hit areas are from the eastern and south-eastern parts of the IT city – including Bellandur, Yemalur, Marathahalli and Sarjapur Road.

 Lake breach and rescue operations

 A major lake breach at Bellandur cut off Yemalur from the Bellandur area as water from the lake gushed through a storm-water drain onto the bridge near its outlet. As a result, the road between Yemalur and Bellandur was closed for several hours. The flooding that followed in Yemalur led to several residents getting stranded. They were rescued by the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) personnel.

Tractors were used to ferry residents away from the inundated area. A total of 30 SDRF personnel, working as two teams, were deployed in the areas of Mahadevapura and Bommanahalli zones. On Balagere Road, which was completely inundated with water from overflowing storm-water drains, tractors and even rafts were used to evacuate residents from apartments. Personnel from the Fire Department rescued residents from many areas along Sarjapur Road including Rainbow Drive.

Record rainfall

The city recorded 131.6 mm of rain, which made Monday the wettest day in September since 2014. BBMP Commissioner Tushar Giri Nath said that the city received the second highest monsoon rain in 51 years. “Normally, since the beginning of monsoon till September, the city receives about 313 mm of rainfall. This year, it has recorded 709 mm,” he said. According to an estimate, a surplus of 34% rainfall was recorded in the city between June 1 and September 4.

Bellandur’s Eco-Space

The stretch of Outer Ring Road in front of Eco-Space Business Park in Bellandur was flooded for the second time in a week. Motorists and pedestrians struggled to push through knee-deep water on the road. Service roads were also inundated with water rising up to the waist. Two-wheeler riders had a tough time preventing water from entering their vehicles’ exhaust pipe.

 Motorbikes and scooters going off and riders pushing their vehicles through the water was a common sight here. Some cars that broke down had to be pushed with the help of men at the spot. Several men from surrounding areas stood along the flooded stretch directing traffic and helping vehicles out of the water. Migrant workers employed in tech parks also joined in assisting pedestrians including women and senior citizens.

Traffic jams

 Traffic was held up on the Outer Ring Road from Bellandur to Marathahalli and beyond. Service roads of the ORR were also congested with vehicles in the afternoon. Bengaluru Traffic Police advised city residents to avoid commuting on these roads altogether.

The BBMP chief added that “arrangements will be made for the rescue and rehabilitation of those who have been affected by the floods”. Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said that discussions will be held with representatives from IT companies operating in these areas. On Monday, he left for Mandya to take stock of the situation in TK Halli, where the pumping station involved in Cauvery water supply to Bengaluru got submerged following heavy rain.

 Other areas that experienced flooding in the city include Panathur, Kadubeesanahalli, Junnasandra, Adarsh Palm Retreat, Spice Garden, Rainbow Drive, Kaikondrahalli, Bhoganahalli, Doddanekkundi, Halanayakanahalli and surrounding areas. Towards the north and north-east Bengaluru, some areas like Thanisandra (Elements Mall junction), Manyata Tech Park and parts of HBR Layout were inundated.