Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], May 20 (ANI): After the state capital saw a deluge of miseries following the continued rain, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said that the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has fixed 70 per cent of the 210 flood-prone areas identified in Bengaluru city, while work is going on the remaining 30 per cent.
Speaking to reporters at the BBMP war room, he said, “We had identified 210 areas as flood-prone in Bengaluru. Ever since I took over as the Bengaluru Development Minister, we have fixed flooding issues in 166 (70%) of those localities. Flood prevention work is currently going on in 24 areas, while work will be taken up soon in the remaining 20 areas. We have built 197 km of stormwater drains.”
“The traffic police have identified 132 flooded spots during heavy rains. Of these, we have rectified issues in 82 spots, and 41 spots are yet to be fixed. We are spending Rs 2000 crore for storm water drains,” he explained.
Shivakumar pointed out that nature controls rain, while they can only try to control the controllable.
“We are rectifying flood-prone areas and are trying to help the common people. There is no need for the people of Bengaluru to be worried about the rain. Unfortunately, a woman died due to a wall collapse.
Responding to BJP’s criticism that DK Shivakumar was a real estate developer, he said, “I will respond to it another time and on another platform. Call R Ashok and leaders of the Opposition, let’s have a debate before the media.”
Following the Opposition’s criticism that Greater Bengaluru has become ‘Water Bengaluru,’ he said, “They can’t just hit and run. Let them come for a discussion with their list of grievances. We will show them the number of issues we have resolved in Bengaluru.”
On allegations that the Congress party was responsible for Bengaluru’s woes, he said, “Let them introspect what they have done for the city during their tenure. We have resolved flooding in 70% of the identified areas, and we are working on the rest. Bengaluru is not an organised city, and yet we are doing our duty.”
When asked if the BBMP has plans for flooding in Bengaluru, he said, “We had a plan and our officials have done good work. I am happy about it. Officials are working in the affected areas as we speak.”
Notably, after a heavy downpour that Bengaluru received on Sunday night exposed the gaps in the city’s infrastructure, as residents woke to river-like roads and layouts on Monday.
Visuals from the Silk Board Metro Station showed severe waterlogging, with several parts of the city witnessing flooding. The Silk Board area, a major traffic hub, was severely affected, causing inconvenience to commuters.
Other areas, including Shanti Nagar bus stands and Kanteerava Stadium, also faced problems due to heavy rains. Waterlogging was reported in several low-lying areas, disrupting daily life.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert for several areas across Karnataka, including Bengaluru.
More rain is expected in the next two days, bracing the city for further disruption. (ANI)
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