BBMP initiated the storm water drain (SWD) wall restoration and cleaning process in May 2021 but has not yet completed it.
Bengaluru: The stormwater drain (SWD) project in HBR Layout remains incomplete, leaving the service road in a bad state. This has presented significant challenges to the residents, making their daily commute a struggle.
The prolonged delay in completing the SWD work, which has stretched over a year, has left residents dissatisfied. The residents said that their repeated complaints to the authorities have gone unanswered. Thomas, a resident of HBR Layout Block 1, said that despite their multiple complaints, the city officials from BBMP did not take any action. “They recently sent a machine to clean the stormwater drain, but the job was left incomplete,” he said.
Vijay, another affected resident, said, “The entire SWD has been filled with silt for years. This needs to be a top priority and should be cleaned up.” Workers come and do only half the job and people continue to dispose of waste and garbage in the drain, making the situation worse, he said.
Vineeth Kumar, a resident, said, “During the rainy season, the road gets submerged under the floodwater from the drain. Traveling through the area becomes extremely challenging, and Bangalore’s unpredictable weather doesn’t help. Even a little rain brings back the problem.”
Mohan Krishna, the Chief Engineer of BBMP East, said that contractors are currently protesting due to non payment of their existing bills. “They will only resume work once their bills are cleared. Although we have assigned people to continue work on the stormwater drain, the contractors leaving the job incomplete has led to its unfinished state,” he said.
K.Srinivas, a member of the Bengaluru Nava Nirmana Party (BNP) core working committee and a resident of the area, revealed that BBMP initiated the SWD wall restoration and cleaning process in May 2021 but has not yet completed it. “BBMP has not disclosed the financial details related to the allocated funds or the expenses incurred so far,” he said.
Bharat, another resident, said that the issue was raised during ward meetings, and residents reached out to BBMP authorities. “It was also discussed in the ward committee’s WhatsApp group and escalated to the Joint Commissioner, Zonal Commissioner Ravindra, and Chief Commissioner Tushar Girinath,” he said. Despite the authorities being aware of the situation, they have not treated it with the necessary urgency. Heavy rainfall over the past few months has further worsened the condition of the road, he added.
Vikram Bhatt, an urban planner, said “the effective storm water drain management require regular inspections, proper maintenance to ensure cleanliness in the surrounding area, adequate funding, and the performance of contractors. All these factors play a crucial role in ensuring the efficient functioning of storm water drain systems. However, the effectiveness of these measures depends on how BBMP carries them out.”
