Where rain means misery and living turns a nightmare

For residents of several localities in the City, heavy rain is synonymous with misery that could have been easily avoided but for an indifferent civic administration. A downpour converts their houses into cesspits and living becomes a nightmare.

Subbaiah, who lives on 4th Cross, Bhadrappa Layout, near Hebbal Lake, shudders at the thought of rain. For the past four days, his daily routine has been to drain out the rain water that floods his house.

He said his misery was caused by blocked small drains. And the callous attitude of the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) only compounded the woes.

Residents of nearby areas including Tatanagar, Balaji Layout, Maruti Nagar, narrate similar tales. A stormwater drain (SWD) near 6th ‘B’ Main, HRBR 2nd Block in Kalyan Nagar is giving headaches to the residents. “The SWD has been blocked for long. During monsoon, the sewage water floods the streets and houses,” Jude Rajesh Ferrao, a resident, complained. “A proper desilting of the sewage line on 6th ‘B’ Main will fix the problem. Also, several unauthorised houses and apartments on the SWD should be removed without delay as they block the sewage outflow.”

According to BBMP, 29 complaints have been reported between August 1 and September 11, on flooding of lanes, stagnant rain water, blocked pipelines, etc. The BWSSB said that during monsoon, it receives at least 50 to 70 sanitary complaints such as manhole overflow, sanitary pipelines blockage, etc. There are more complaints from such areas as Mahadevapura, K R Puram, Shanthinagar and HBR Layout, it further said.

Since the river catchment area at Vrishabhavathi Valley is not desilted, roads at Indian Bank Colony, Rajarajeshwari Nagar get flooded when it rains heavily.

Failed to respond

The President of Ideal Homes Residents’ Association, Srinath Babu H R, alleged that the authorities concerned had failed to respond to several letters in this regard. “The problem would be solved if the minor irrigation department, under which the maintenance of the valley falls, desilts the river catchment area and ensures the valley is not being polluted.”
The situation is much the same in DJ Halli, Vidyaranyapura, Tannery Road and Prakruthi Layout, etc.

More rain likely The Meteorological

Department has forecast low to moderate rain for three more days in the City.
Bangalore received 231.6 mm of rainfall against the normal amount of rainfall for the month which is 211.5 mm.