Bengaluru ill-prepared for monsoon fury

Bengaluru: The city is witnessing rains for the past few days and weathermen have forecast more in the coming days. While this may provide relief from sweltering heat and water shortage, the city residents are worried about rain fallout and bracing for waterlogged roads and overflowing drains.

BBMP’s apathy and lethargy has made the city ill-prepared to cope with the monsoon. In many parts the desilting of storm water drains and shoulder drains have not been taken up. Hence even a small rain is enough to wreak havoc in the city.

The roads turn into mini streams as water stagnated on both the sides. The underpasses get flooded and potholes get filled with rainwater, posing threat to motorists.

“Even today when it rains, the side drains overflow. Many roads in the city get flooded. If the BBMP would had desilted all the shoulder drains and the storm water drains in the city before monsoon, flooding could have been averted to a great extent," said Philip, a resident of Ejipura.

People should also develop some civic sense. At many places in the city, people do not hand over their garbage to the pourakarmikas. They just pack them in a plastic bag and swing it into the stormwater drains. It ultimately starts accumulating and blocks the free flow of water, said Pandi, a resident of Shanthinagar.

He said people even throw construction debris and all other waste into the drains. The officials have to prevent this and slap hefty fines on violators, he demanded.

A BBMP official said that desilting works is currently on in all the eight BBMP zones in the city. Till date, it has desilted more than 120 km of the stormwater drain.