Will Bangalore get a makeover this monsoon?

By Editor on 17 Jun 2011 Category:Environment, Governance, Health, Mobility, Safety, Sanitation, Water

1 comments

Every year, our city is flooded is during the rains, but just how well do we keep ourselves prepared? J.Mumtaz finds out.  

 

In 1898, Bangalore was affected by a plague epidemic that took away the lives of almost twelve thousand people in the Cantonment area. Apart from many temples being built and dedicated to the Goddess Mariamma and St.Mary being re-invoked as Anna Arokiamarie (Our Lady of Good Health), the crisis also spurred the planning and execution of improved sanitation and health facilities and helped modernize the city. 

Since houses in Shivajinagar were built too close to each other with no effective drainage systems, this not only acted as a catalyst for the spread of the disease but also made the authorities sit up and recognize the need to build suitable sanitation facilities for sewage and storm water. The city was thereafter divided into 4 wards for better administration and the first Health Officer was appointed in 1898. 

A formal drainage system (including `conservancy lanes’) was then created that ran along roads and subsequently flowed into the nearest tanks and lakes. There were nearly 400 lakes in the city back then, which left no room or need for any other system. But sadly, today only about 64 of the total number of lakes remain since most of them have been encroached upon by the land mafia for development, construction and expansion purposes with everyone only concerned about their individual needs as opposed to the city’s welfare. The drains are also completely filled with construction waste and garbage so water tends to rise up and flood the roads as opposed to flowing in a specific pathway to an appropriate outlet. 
Unfortunately, residents of Bangalore city have to bear the brunt of this lack of planning and in-adequate infrastructure. 
Every year, during the monsoons, the city comes close to being a death trap for many unsuspecting residents, especially those from lower income groups who have very little protection against the havoc caused by the monsoon. Water logged drainage systems and blocked sewage pipes all cause drains to overflow and flood the roads so one does not know where the road ends and the drain begins. These conditions have proved to be extremely dangerous and life-threating for both adults and children since visibility is low making walking / falling into these open drainage systems inevitable. Take for instance the tragic case of six year old Abhishek, who fell into an uncovered drain in Lingarajapuram that was flooded with rainwater and drowned. Although the BBMP and the Army searched though the lake and drains, his body was never found. 
To make matters worse, exposed wires hanging all across the city are extremely dangerous when they come in contact with water since it’s one of the best conductors of electricity. 
Commuters are also adversely affected since most public transport systems are not built to handle heavy rains (open buses with broken or no shutters) and bikers and four wheelers find it very difficult to see the road when it is flooded . This means they can fall into every pot hole without knowing how deep or wide it might be, and get seriously injured. Cars can also get stuck on our already overcrowded roads since the water seeps into the engine and interiors of the car making the engine stall.
But in addition to the transport problems that this lack of properly designed storm water drains cause, the health hazards are plenty. Often, people have to wade through dirty water overflowing through drains to get across a road, while stagnant water, on the other hand becomes a potential breeding ground for mosquitos, pests and insects that spread diseases.
For the past one year the BMP has announced the commencement of its preparations and citizens have seen roads been dug up indiscriminately, (ostensibly to check drains and clear them) but with one onslaught of heavy rain, the city crumbles under pressure. Ironically, the construction debris left behind from these exercises is not cleared away or tarred either, leading to even more inconvenience (Thimmaiah Road, opposite the Badminton Association). Unable to withstand even one summer shower how will the city face the monsoons?
In the recent April rains that lashed the city, upmarket areas like Cambridge Layout, Koramangala and other low lying areas were flooded. In Cambridge Layout, cars stalled, ground floors and basements of apartment buildings were submerged in water, commuters waded through these overflowing roads completely drenched, while the traffic piled up for over 2 hours.
Faced with these facts how prepared is the BBMP for the monsoons this year?
In a recent report(2010) it was stated that the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission, helped the BBMP take up the task of revamping the 842-Km stretch of storm water drains across Bangalore. The centre had approved a cost of 643.06 crores to remodel primary and secondary drains leading into Hebbal, Koramangala, Vrushabhavati and Challaghatta. Although on paper, the status of these constructions says `completed’, the report also states that there are many stretches wherein there is room for a lot more work.  
Clearly, Sanitation (and therefore drainage as well) isn’t being given the priority it deserves.
 
-J.Mumtaz
Tags: bangalore, drainage, governance, health, Lingarajapuram, Monsoons, Plague, safety, Sanitation, Shivajinagar, water
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  • iJanaagraha Jackson
    Bangalore is one of my favorite city. It is one of most beautiful place for tours...There are lots of things to do where you can enjoy every moment of your life. Having many tourist places to visit like Temples, Garden and Hill stations. http://www.traveladda.com/west_india/gujarat/cities/vadodara.html
              


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