Bengaluru: When Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar went on a city rounds on Monday to take stock of the flood damages, he was stunned by the number of potholes along the service roads of outer ring road.
“I have observed one thing. Despite our efforts, I saw a number of potholes. Some are half a foot deep. This is dangerous. I have sought a report. I have also informed the police,” he told reporters.
The Bengaluru Development minister visited flood-hit areas such as Nagawara, HBR Layout 5th Block, Silk Board, Jayadeva junction etc along with officials. Other than the potholes, he was greeted with uncleared debris that caused flooding. He also wondered what are the engineers doing with the Rs 1 lakh grant they get every month for clearing debris by using tractors.
During his visit, he found blockage in the rajakaluve near Nagawara, which had stopped the flow of water. In his presence, the BBMP cleared loads of debris to allow smooth flow of water. Similar problem was also seen at Silk Board junction. As the storm water drain was not wide enough to carry the water, officials were asked to widen it.
“Bengaluru did not report as heavy rains as other parts of the state received. Yet, it has created several problems. None of the lakes in Bengaluru are full. We will attend to cases where the water has entered into homes. Overall, the city needs rains as it will fill up lakes and recharge groundwater,” he said.
Published 13 August 2024, 02:18 IST