Bengaluru Rain: Flooding for the 2nd time in a week has brought into focus unplanned urbanisation
Several areas of Bengaluru remain waterlogged following heavy rainfall that has bared the damage caused by unplanned development in the rapidly growing city.
Here are 10 latest developments on this big story
On the third day of flooding, several areas remain waterlogged. Traffic movement has slowed down to a crawl as some key roads are inundated.
The flooding of the mega IT hub for the second time in a week has led to bizarre scenes of people boarding tractors and cranes to make their way to their workplace through the flooded roads.
A 23-year-old woman died of electrocution on a waterlogged road yesterday, news agency ANI has reported. Akhila, who worked in the administrative department of a school, was returning home when her scooter skidded. She tried to grab an electric pole and got a shock.
The waterlogging in the city has brought into focus the consequences of unplanned urbanisation. The Bengaluru civic body has identified encroachment on 500 storm water drains that have now left the city choking in water.
Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has blamed the previous JDS-Congress government in the state for the situation. "This happened because of the unplanned administration of the previous Congress government. They gave permission right, left and centre in the lakes and buffer zone," the chief minister said, according to news agency ANI.
The chief minister said a sum of Rs 1,500 crore has been given to drain water out of the city. "Another Rs 300 crore has been given to remove encroachments," he said. He added that the state government will ensure that drainage points are not choked by encroachment.
Powers cuts have been reported in several areas. Water supply to some localities has been disrupted after a pumphouse in Mandya was flooded. The Chief Minister has said the pumphouse is being cleaned. He said 8,000 borewells would supply water in affected areas. In areas with no borewells, water will be supplied through tankers.
The Chief Minister earlier said 430 houses have been completely damaged in the floods and 2,188 others have suffered partial damage. About 225 km of roads, bridges, culverts and electric poles have also been damaged.
A central team is set to arrive in the city tonight to study the rain and flood situation," A memorandum will be submitted and after that, the government will hold a meeting with the team members," the Chief Minster has said.
The weather department has predicted heavy rain in south and north interior Karnataka for the next four days. The state has already received 144 per cent excess rain during the last week of August, and in the first five days of the current month, it has received 51 percent excess rain. This is the most rainfall Karnataka has received in 42 years.
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