Tiptur underbridge in a mess

Water which collects under the railway bridge at Turuvekere, connecting Channarayapattana has been an inconvenience to people for four years.The problem worsens especially during rainy season.

When the railway track was first constructed here, a road was laid below the bridge. An arrangement was made to channel water flowing in the area into a nearby stream through an underground drain.

Initially, the problem arose when the drain filled with mud or waste. The problem was usually resolved when the drain was cleared, but residents now claim that the drain has not been maintained for four years.

“Whenever it rains, the water flows through the roads and scollects under the bridge. This has inconvenienced motorists as well as pedestrians. When it rains heavily, nearly four feet of water collects on the road, which even hinders vehicles from passing through,” residents said.

The City Municipal Council (CMC) has finally decided to address the matter after reports on the drain began to appear in the media. Residents said that the CMC has now begun work to clean the drain.

But as the land near the stream has become soft because of water stagnation, heavy machines, especially a suction machine, were prevented from operating here. As machines cannot be used here frequently, the water continues to stagnate, residents added. 

The state of affairs has created traffic jams at the bridge, which last for several hours and sometimes even lead to accidents.

“There is need to find a permanent solution for this problem,” residents said and demanded that the CMC, the Public Works Department and the Railways Department discuss the issue and plan a permanent solution to the problem as soon as possible.