Months after several lives were lost in the city in overflowing drains, little has been done to erect walls and fences around storm-water drains (SWD). These drains continue to be death traps for city residents, while a survey by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) in this regard is yet to be completed.
- A two-and-half-year-old girl died after falling into an SWD at Dodda Bommasandra in Vidyaranyapura on January 9, 2018
- Narsamma, 16, died after accidentally slipping into an SWD at Krishnappa Garden on October 15, 2017
- Vasudev Bhattar, 32, a priest, died after falling into an SWD at SVK Layout near Kurubarahalli on October 13
- Pushpa, 22, and her mother, Ningamma, died after being washed away in an SWD at Laggere on October 13
In several parts of the city, residents are still waiting for the promised action from officials. One such instance is at Kurubarahalli where a priest got washed away in an SWD in October last during heavy rain. Three months later, huge stretches of the ‘raja kaluve’ are yet to be fenced. At Jai Maruthi Layout in Kurubarahalli, bordering Laggere, children play next to an open SWD, and many pass the area on their way to a private school nearby. Locals say that though civic officials have started fencing, the work is being taken up only in small patches. After the October incident, local leaders had promised quick action.
This storm-water drain runs from Yeshwantpur to Kengeri, passing by tens of localities. A huge portion of the drain has been encroached by residential buildings. In several places, houses have been built adjoining the drain. “When it rains, the water overflows into our houses,” said Sumithra, a resident.
With no fencing, many residents dump garbage into the drain. “The BBMP garbage collection point is hardly 10 metres away from the drain. Yet, people dump waste into the drain rather than give it to pourakarmikas who come for collecttion,” said Vidyashree who lives in the vicinity.
The situation is not any better in other parts of the city. Portions of the retaining wall of an SWD has developed cracks or has collapsed at Annipura in Shanthinagar.
At Dodda Bommasandra, a two-and-a-half-year-old girl died recently after she fell into an open drain. After this incident, instances of several children having fallen into the same drain — which does not have supporting walls — have come to light.
Civic officials were not available for comment.
