BBMP to resume eviction drive around stormwater drains

Putting in place a proper action plan to tackle monsoon woes across Bengaluru, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has set its eyes on the rampant encroachment of stormwater drains (SWDs).

After a brief lull, the civic body, starting next week, is likely to begin its eviction drive in various zones. Briefing Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara on its action plan on Wednesday, BBMP officials stated that they have already cleared as many as 567 encroachments.

Stopping its eviction drive on account of the Lok Sabha polls, the BBMP will resume it along all the SWDs, thereby putting an end to inundation of low-lying areas. This was discussed during the coordination meeting with Chief Secretary, T M Vijay Bhaskar, on Tuesday. Further, the BBMP was directed to take technical help from the Land Records Department.

“Eviction is being done as per the court’s order. All SWDs will be cleared of encroachments. A team of surveyors has already been deployed to identify encroachments,” BBMP Commissioner N Manjunath Prasad said.

According to the findings, out of the 1,950 encroachments, 450 have been cleared. However, according to the data presented during the coordination meeting with the chief secretary, as many as 2,515 cases of encroachment were listed and in as many as 1,948 cases, surveys were yet to be conducted.

While the BBMP cleared 428 encroachments in 2016-17 and 2017-18, officials cleared as many as 139 cases in 2018-19 from October 2018.