JOIN USThe Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike on Monday demolished as many as 60 shops constructed on a stormwater drain near Seppings Road at Shivajinagar.
The shops had reduced the width of SWDs significantly. Traders and residents had turned the drain into a garbage dump, choking it further. The clogged drain flooded the surrounding areas every time it rained, said the local residents and the engineers stormwater drain division of the Palike.
Shops selling hardware, mutton, grocery items, clothes, utensils, etc, had come up encroaching the drain. Some of the shops were well furnished with granite tiles and false ceilings.
The BBMP authorities swooped in on Monday morning with a demolition party comprising 50 workers and four earthmoving machines. The traders ran helter skelter trying to shift their goods from the shops. Some alleged that they were not given an opportunity to present their case to the Palike officials.
According to the Palike engineers, the Sepings road drain is connected to the Challaghatta Valley and ends near Bellandur Lake. The drain is part of the project to remodel valleys in Bangalore.
They added that the eviction was necessary as the drain width had been reduced from eight metre to four metre. After clearing the encroachments, a U-shaped drain will be constructed.