Pre-monsoon showers, which saw homes flooded, visitors disrupted, trees and electrical poles crashing and roads creating potholes, has given Bengalureans a taste of things to return this monsoon season. To make issues worse, the assembly elections have hit arrangements to tackle the rain.
Work on construction partitions for storm water drains was once halted when the election code of conduct got here into force, and efforts to conduct survey to spot old and vulnerable trees didn't take off within the town. Despite this, the BBMP insists that it is well-prepared to handle the rains. Bescom, the electricity application, says it has recruited an extra 500 other people to paintings throughout the monsoon, while the mayor has warned contractors to fill potholes and relay roads or they are going to now not be paid by means of the Palike.
DRAINS THAT LACK WALLS AND OVERFLOWING LAKES
The town has an 842km storm water drain (SWD) community built specifically to avert flooding. But handiest 300km of this community has permanent partitions which are necessary to stop rainwater from overflowing directly to streets.
The state government allocated Rs 1,300 crore for SWD-related paintings throughout the ultimate financial 12 months and even though the BBMP began construction partitions for about
200km of drains ultimate 12 months, paintings was once halted once assembly election fever kicked. Only about 120km of partitions were built by means of then. HT Bettegowda, BBMP chief engineer (SWD), says paintings on setting up partitions has resumed and he's hopeful of finishing paintings of the previous 12 months quickly.
While partitions are one downside, accumulation of silt is another. This has lowered the sporting capability of drains. Of an estimated 20 lakh cubic metres of silt accumulated in town drains, handiest about 3 lakh cubic metres has been got rid of till early this 12 months. This signifies that even a brief spell of rain can result in overflowing drains. According to one estimate, the city’s drains cannot take more than 90mm of rain.
The few ultimate lakes, all badly ignored, are another bugbear. About 35 of the city’s 85 lakes overflowed throughout the rainy season ultimate October. A study by means of IISc experts discovered that lakes within the town have a capability to store at least 5tmc toes of rainwater, but accumulation of silt has lowered it to at least one.2tmc toes.
FALLING TREES
he town’s most prized pos- T session, its inexperienced quilt, is its most vulnerable and dangerous commodity when it rains. While falling trees have the potential to motive massive harm, they also may cut out powerlines and block roads.
The BBMP had tasked its forest cell to spot and safe old and vulnerable trees. However, as senior forest division officers indicate, engaging in a tree survey is a hard and timeconsuming workout and requires coordination between more than one organizations.
Saswati Mishra, chief conservator of forests and head of the Tree Authority Committee mentioned: “We will have to establish and prune trees deemed unhealthy and fell ones that are too old to withstand the rain.” But officers say it might now not be possible to conduct a survey before the monsoon this 12 months.
Chola Raj, BBMP deputy forest conservator, printed that while talks are nonetheless on to collect a team to adopt the survey, certain measures had been installed place to ensure voters don’t endure.
“We have 21 groups of 8 other people every to maintain uprooted trees and pruning,” Raj mentioned. “But that’s now not adequate and we don’t have the provision to rent more other people. It has been decided that the groups would be beneath the control of the zonal chief engineer who can be within the control room.”
Raj mentioned directions had been despatched out to have fallen trees got rid of within three hours of it being reported. The ultimate tree survey — only a ward wise numeration of trees and a other people to tree ratio — was once conducted in 2014 by means of IISc.
POTHOLED ROADS AND TRAFFIC JAMS
Potholes, which resulted in numerous deaths ultimate 12 months, have returned to hang-out the city. This month’s pre-monsoon showers have already caused masses of shoddily-filled potholes to open up again on Tumakuru Road, Mysuru Road and in Jayanagar, Indiranagar, Koramangala and Seshadripuram.
Last 12 months, after coming beneath intense force from voters, then chief minister Siddaramaiah and the Lokayukta, the Palike undertook a large-scale pothole filling force. In November, it claimed that there have been handiest 25 potholes left on its 14,000km road community. Potholes, regardless that, are actually again and are leading to large visitors jams when it rains.
“The road thru Doddathogur to Electronics City is covered with potholes,”
mentioned Aswathy Krishnan, a resident. “This is making lifestyles very tricky for other people living within the area. It turns into a nightmare when it rains because it makes even strolling at the road a dangerous workout.”
As of May 21, the Palike mentioned it had identified 3,629 potholes, 950 of which have been on ‘main’ roads, while the others dotted ‘ward’ roads.
“On May 21, after assembly with all the chief engineers, I gave them a one-week cut-off date to fill all potholes,” mentioned BM Vijay Shankar, special commissioner (projects), BBMP. “We will use a python device to fill potholes on 1,400km of main roads. On the remainder community, depending on weather conditions, we will be able to use either a scorching or a chilly mix.”
CRASHING ELECTRIC POLES BRING DESTRUCTION AND DARKNESS
In the IT capital, the monsoon brings with it lengthy midnights. Figures launched by means of Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (Bescom) display that from April 30 to May 25 this 12 months, 168 electrical poles fell in 22 hours of rainfall. Add to this transformer maintenance and the Bescom helpline has been humming.
Rajendra Cholan, Bescom MD, claimed the application is well-prepared for any contingency that would possibly rise up due to heavy and sustained downpours.
“We have hired an extra 500 other people to paintings throughout the monsoon and we now have also arranged for added cars,” Cholan mentioned. “There is also a provision of Rs 1 lakh revolving emergency fund for every subdivision for restoration of energy. There is also the Rs 5 lakh to city sub divisions with Rs 2 lakh to rural sub divisions that are allocated throughout natural calamities.”
As many as 100 distribution transformer centres (DTC) will likely be arrange at every sub-division as buffer inventory. Vehicles like cranes and vans can be employed on a need foundation. “All sub-divisions had been informed to handle buffer inventory of other required line materials,” Cholan mentioned. “We may also arrange and tell public of phone numbers to call on the sub-division degree excluding the 1912 helpline.”
FREQUENT FLOODING IN LOW-LYING AREAS
Last 12 months, a number of homes in low-lying spaces like some parts of Koramangala, ST Bed Layout and HSR Layout, were inundated, cars ruined and belongings destroyed. Residents in those spaces are again bracing for another ordeal.
Studies conducted by means of the likes of T V Ramachandra of IISc display that the reason in the back of flooding in those spaces is concretisation, narrowing and encroachment of the storm water drains, dumping of rubbish and construction particles into them, and the encroachment of wetlands.
Prakash Singhvi, a resident of Koramangala 4th Block, whose area was once flooded halfa-dozen occasions ultimate 12 months, mentioned his neighbours had already begun taking precautions to make certain that their homes were spared this 12 months. “Almost everyone living on 4th and 5th Cross in 4th Block Koramangala has larger the height of their entrance gates in order that rainwater doesn’t enter their homes.”
The BBMP says it has introduced a SWD desilting force. “In spaces where the keeping partitions were breached, we now have requested engineers to rebuild and strengthen them, and keep sandbags to hand,” mentioned Vijay Shankar. “Inlets of the SWDs have also been widened.”
Work on construction partitions for storm water drains was once halted when the election code of conduct got here into force, and efforts to conduct survey to spot old and vulnerable trees didn't take off within the town. Despite this, the BBMP insists that it is well-prepared to handle the rains. Bescom, the electricity application, says it has recruited an extra 500 other people to paintings throughout the monsoon, while the mayor has warned contractors to fill potholes and relay roads or they are going to now not be paid by means of the Palike.
DRAINS THAT LACK WALLS AND OVERFLOWING LAKES
The town has an 842km storm water drain (SWD) community built specifically to avert flooding. But handiest 300km of this community has permanent partitions which are necessary to stop rainwater from overflowing directly to streets.
The state government allocated Rs 1,300 crore for SWD-related paintings throughout the ultimate financial 12 months and even though the BBMP began construction partitions for about
200km of drains ultimate 12 months, paintings was once halted once assembly election fever kicked. Only about 120km of partitions were built by means of then. HT Bettegowda, BBMP chief engineer (SWD), says paintings on setting up partitions has resumed and he's hopeful of finishing paintings of the previous 12 months quickly.
While partitions are one downside, accumulation of silt is another. This has lowered the sporting capability of drains. Of an estimated 20 lakh cubic metres of silt accumulated in town drains, handiest about 3 lakh cubic metres has been got rid of till early this 12 months. This signifies that even a brief spell of rain can result in overflowing drains. According to one estimate, the city’s drains cannot take more than 90mm of rain.
The few ultimate lakes, all badly ignored, are another bugbear. About 35 of the city’s 85 lakes overflowed throughout the rainy season ultimate October. A study by means of IISc experts discovered that lakes within the town have a capability to store at least 5tmc toes of rainwater, but accumulation of silt has lowered it to at least one.2tmc toes.
FALLING TREES
he town’s most prized pos- T session, its inexperienced quilt, is its most vulnerable and dangerous commodity when it rains. While falling trees have the potential to motive massive harm, they also may cut out powerlines and block roads.
The BBMP had tasked its forest cell to spot and safe old and vulnerable trees. However, as senior forest division officers indicate, engaging in a tree survey is a hard and timeconsuming workout and requires coordination between more than one organizations.
Saswati Mishra, chief conservator of forests and head of the Tree Authority Committee mentioned: “We will have to establish and prune trees deemed unhealthy and fell ones that are too old to withstand the rain.” But officers say it might now not be possible to conduct a survey before the monsoon this 12 months.
Chola Raj, BBMP deputy forest conservator, printed that while talks are nonetheless on to collect a team to adopt the survey, certain measures had been installed place to ensure voters don’t endure.
“We have 21 groups of 8 other people every to maintain uprooted trees and pruning,” Raj mentioned. “But that’s now not adequate and we don’t have the provision to rent more other people. It has been decided that the groups would be beneath the control of the zonal chief engineer who can be within the control room.”
Raj mentioned directions had been despatched out to have fallen trees got rid of within three hours of it being reported. The ultimate tree survey — only a ward wise numeration of trees and a other people to tree ratio — was once conducted in 2014 by means of IISc.
POTHOLED ROADS AND TRAFFIC JAMS
Potholes, which resulted in numerous deaths ultimate 12 months, have returned to hang-out the city. This month’s pre-monsoon showers have already caused masses of shoddily-filled potholes to open up again on Tumakuru Road, Mysuru Road and in Jayanagar, Indiranagar, Koramangala and Seshadripuram.
Last 12 months, after coming beneath intense force from voters, then chief minister Siddaramaiah and the Lokayukta, the Palike undertook a large-scale pothole filling force. In November, it claimed that there have been handiest 25 potholes left on its 14,000km road community. Potholes, regardless that, are actually again and are leading to large visitors jams when it rains.
“The road thru Doddathogur to Electronics City is covered with potholes,”
mentioned Aswathy Krishnan, a resident. “This is making lifestyles very tricky for other people living within the area. It turns into a nightmare when it rains because it makes even strolling at the road a dangerous workout.”
As of May 21, the Palike mentioned it had identified 3,629 potholes, 950 of which have been on ‘main’ roads, while the others dotted ‘ward’ roads.
“On May 21, after assembly with all the chief engineers, I gave them a one-week cut-off date to fill all potholes,” mentioned BM Vijay Shankar, special commissioner (projects), BBMP. “We will use a python device to fill potholes on 1,400km of main roads. On the remainder community, depending on weather conditions, we will be able to use either a scorching or a chilly mix.”
CRASHING ELECTRIC POLES BRING DESTRUCTION AND DARKNESS
In the IT capital, the monsoon brings with it lengthy midnights. Figures launched by means of Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (Bescom) display that from April 30 to May 25 this 12 months, 168 electrical poles fell in 22 hours of rainfall. Add to this transformer maintenance and the Bescom helpline has been humming.
Rajendra Cholan, Bescom MD, claimed the application is well-prepared for any contingency that would possibly rise up due to heavy and sustained downpours.
“We have hired an extra 500 other people to paintings throughout the monsoon and we now have also arranged for added cars,” Cholan mentioned. “There is also a provision of Rs 1 lakh revolving emergency fund for every subdivision for restoration of energy. There is also the Rs 5 lakh to city sub divisions with Rs 2 lakh to rural sub divisions that are allocated throughout natural calamities.”
As many as 100 distribution transformer centres (DTC) will likely be arrange at every sub-division as buffer inventory. Vehicles like cranes and vans can be employed on a need foundation. “All sub-divisions had been informed to handle buffer inventory of other required line materials,” Cholan mentioned. “We may also arrange and tell public of phone numbers to call on the sub-division degree excluding the 1912 helpline.”
FREQUENT FLOODING IN LOW-LYING AREAS
Last 12 months, a number of homes in low-lying spaces like some parts of Koramangala, ST Bed Layout and HSR Layout, were inundated, cars ruined and belongings destroyed. Residents in those spaces are again bracing for another ordeal.
Studies conducted by means of the likes of T V Ramachandra of IISc display that the reason in the back of flooding in those spaces is concretisation, narrowing and encroachment of the storm water drains, dumping of rubbish and construction particles into them, and the encroachment of wetlands.
Prakash Singhvi, a resident of Koramangala 4th Block, whose area was once flooded halfa-dozen occasions ultimate 12 months, mentioned his neighbours had already begun taking precautions to make certain that their homes were spared this 12 months. “Almost everyone living on 4th and 5th Cross in 4th Block Koramangala has larger the height of their entrance gates in order that rainwater doesn’t enter their homes.”
The BBMP says it has introduced a SWD desilting force. “In spaces where the keeping partitions were breached, we now have requested engineers to rebuild and strengthen them, and keep sandbags to hand,” mentioned Vijay Shankar. “Inlets of the SWDs have also been widened.”
Bengalureans gear up for monsoon misery
![Bengalureans gear up for monsoon misery]()
Reviewed by Kailash
on
May 31, 2018
Rating:
