Overnight downpour leaves many city areas waterlogged
Bitter price of shoddy desilting by BBMP
BENGALURU:
A heavy overnight downpour on Tuesday, punctuated by thunder, left several areas in Bengaluru waterlogged, including Koramangala, HSR Layout, HBR Layout, Yeshwanthpur, Malleswaram, Vijayanagar, Vyalikaval, Nelamangala, Electronics City and Anekal town.
A nearly 200-metre stretch surrounding Koramangala’s Maharaja signal was fully submerged — the storm water drain adjacent to the Maharaja signal is said to be the main ‘culprit’ as the drain goes further and connects to Bellandur Lake.
“Every time it rains, the Maharaja signal junction and surrounding houses are the first victims in the locality. Nearly 700 houses and residents are disconnected from normalcy,” said a local resident.
Not just Koramangala’s 4th C Block Main Road, even roads in HBR Layout were submerged. The roads from Hebbal flyover towards Banaswadi were reportedly cut off from the main locality, and low-lying areas were submerged.
Wall collapse
Meanwhile, a part of a road and a retaining wall reportedly collapsed in Pattegarapalya. The 6th Main Road, Pattegarapalya, connecting to Srinivas Road near Vijayanagar has caved in and a storm water drain’s retaining wall has collapsed.
At the time of reporting, officials were yet to reach the affected areas to undertake rescue and repair work. Meanwhile, BBMP staff, instead of rushing to the affected areas, were seen at MG Road dewatering the street.
Among other incidents, Skyline Apartment’s compound wall also reportedly collapsed at Attiguppe (ward 132).
Shoddy silt removal
Tuesdsy’s rain havoc has once again highlighted the shoddy desilting of rainwater drains by BBMP.
“Every year BBMP spends huge amounts — at the behest of the local corporator — to undertake drain improvement and silt removal. The city wouldn’t have witnessed such a situation if the civic agency had properly monitored the work through a third-party agency,” said a civic activist.
Apart from the worst-affected areas, many other localities like 8th Mile, Peenya, MS Palya, Vidyaranyapura, Gorguntepalya, Nandini Layout, Rajajinagar, Prakash Nagar, Malleswaram, Sadashivnagar, RT Nagar, Dollars Colony, Sanjay Nagar, Pulakeshi Nagar, Richmond Town, Shivaji Nagar, Indiranagar, Jayanagar, JP Nagar, Bommanahalli and Bannerghatta Road reported heavy rains.
Trees Uprooted
According to officials incidence of trees uprooted were reported in Koramangala, Vyalikaval, Bagalgunte, Garudachar Palya and JB Nagar while waterlogging was reported from Koramangala, HSR Layout Bommanahalli, KS Garden Murugeshpalya, Konanankunte, Banashankari, Srinivasanagar, Chokkasandra.
Details of Rainfall
Bengaluru City — 30.7 mm
International Airport– 28.5 mm
HAL — 89.2 mm
