The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Management Centre (KSNDMC) will now get real-time data on water levels in stormwater drains (SWDs) at 18 highly vulnerable points in the city. The KSNDMC has installed sensors at these spots and will share the data they transmit with the civic body.
Officials from the BBMP's SWD department, on Friday, made a presentation before Mayor Gangambike Mallikarjun about the precautionary measures taken to prevent flooding or any other untoward incident. With the city forecast to receive rain over the weekend, the mayor directed officials to take measures to prevent flooding in over 1,000 places abutting the SWD network.
The civic body had identified 182 vulnerable spots in low-lying areas, including 28 that are highly vulnerable. These vulnerable spots can withstand rain up to 120 mm. Sensors have been installed in 18 of the 28 highly vulnerable spots while the remaining places will get them shortly, officials informed the Mayor.
Each sensor costs around ₹35,000, which is borne by the KSNDMC, and works on solar energy. The data that is transmitted is colour coded: green or blue (normal water level), red (danger level) and black (flooded).
In the event of heavy rain, if the water level reaches the danger mark, BBMP officials will immediately evacuate people to safer zones and take steps to prevent loss of life or property.
Control rooms
The BBMP already has nine permanent control rooms to monitor rain and rain-related damage. It has opened 63 temporary control rooms with the required staff and infrastructure.
It has 21 forest teams to remove fallen branches and trees during the monsoon. An additional seven teams have been formed, each with seven emergency personnel and one supervisor. These teams have the vehicles to transport fallen branches and trees, said officials.
To prevent garbage from clogging drains, trash barriers have been installed in five places. The BBMP has sent a proposal to the State government to install trash barriers across the city.
