Drainage overflow getting worse

Stagnant sewage water along prominent roads at Wilson Garden. DH PHOTO/S K Dinesh

Despite DH reporting the issue a month ago and assurance from the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board to fix it soon, residents in the bylanes around the Shanthinagar bus stand continue to wade through puddles of overflowing sewage.

The situation has gone from bad to worse, with the BTS Main Road — the road used by buses and heavy transport vehicles — also getting waterlogged in the rain. The roads have become an absolute nightmare for commuters, while the residents find it harder to bear the stench from the stagnating water. “Seems like there’s no permanent solution for this,” Rajesh Talwar, who resides in Shantinagar 4th Cross, told DH. “The BWSSB recently replaced the old nine-inch pipes with the new 12-inch ones. We thought the issue was solved. But the situation has only worsened. Water can at least empty into the drains on the main road, but it gets stagnant at the crossroads.”

When DH visited the area again, we could see the overflowing water damaging the TenderSURE pavements.

BWSSB officials blamed the overflow on the establishments allowing rainwater to flow into the sewage lines.

“In a week’s time, we’ll ensure that the drains will not overflow. We’ll lay a separate line for sewage and stormwater. We’ve done half of the work. The issue will be solved once we complete it,” BWSSB officials told DH.