Cost of remodelling Bengaluru's drains jumps three times

The BBMP has remodelled only half of the city’s 842-km-long network of stormwater drains and spent Rs 1,658 crore on it. For the remaining half, it needs nearly three times as much money.

Consider this: The civic body has so far spent Rs 1,658 crore on desilting 428 km of drains and building concrete walls around them. Doing the same work on the remaining 414 km of stormwater drains will cost another Rs 4,670 crore.

In sum, remodelling Bengaluru’s stormwater drain network of 842 kilometres will cost a whopping Rs 6,328 crore.

These figures were provided by none other than Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, who also holds the Bengaluru development portfolio, in response to a question asked by MLC and former Bengaluru mayor PR Ramesh, in the legislative council during the just-concluded winter session in Belagavi.

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Bommai’s answer further stated that the BBMP had received Rs 2,096 crore, mostly from the state government, for remodelling the city’s four major drain networks: Hebbal valley, Vrushabhavathi valley, Koramangala valley and Challaghatta valley. Of which, it has spent Rs 1,658 crore so far.

The four valleys span over 842 km, comprising both primary and secondary drains.

The BBMP has remodelled 428 km of the drains and plans to start the work on the remaining 414 kilometres. BBMP officials say the remaining work would be taken up based on the availability of funds, which will run into Rs 4,670 crore.

Ramesh is not happy with the chief minister’s response. He said that since his mayoral tenure ended in 2003-04, a lot of money had been spent on remodelling drains. “I am shocked to see that the BBMP has redone only half of the 842-km network. This only goes to show that the public money is being misused in the name of remodelling drains,” he suggested.

He asked the government to order an audit of the money spent on drains in the last 15 years.

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