E-Paper
Engineer to oversee each ward as heavy rains lash Karnataka
Deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar made an unannounced visit to BBMP’s command centre on Monday night to assess the situation.
As Bengaluru grapples with heavy rainfall, Rakesh Singh, the administrator of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), convened a meeting with senior officials on Tuesday. In response to the India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) forecast of more rain in the city over the next three days, the BBMP administrator has ordered the appointment of an engineer for each ward. The engineer’s role will involve monitoring the situation and taking necessary measures to address the effects of the heavy rain.
The overnight downpour resulted in flooding on several roads, in houses, and underpasses, causing disruptions for commuters. In response to this, deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar made an unannounced visit to BBMP’s command centre on Monday night to assess the situation.
“In anticipation of further rain in the city, the BBMP administrator has instructed all zonal commissioners to designate an engineer for each of the 198 wards within the city. The BBMP has also directed commissioners to compile a list of houses where water-logging has been reported to facilitate appropriate compensation for affected individuals. Additionally, the civic body has called for an examination of the reasons behind the flooding,” read a statement from BBMP.
Heavy rains on Monday led to the flooding at several houses in areas like Sahakarnagar. Bengaluru has experienced a series of rainfall events in recent days. Over the last 24 hours (from 8.30 am on Monday), the city received an average rainfall of 71 mm of rain, surpassing its average monthly rainfall of 64.5 mm for the month of November.
With more rain expected in the coming days, the BBMP has directed officials from the Bangalore Development Authority to open sluice gates in Bellandur and Varthur lakes. These measures are aimed at mitigating the impact of further rainfall.
Even on Tuesday, rain persisted in Bengaluru, with early afternoon showers at various places, causing traffic disruptions. Yalahanka has received 64 mm rainfall in the past 24 hours. The Meteorological Department has predicted that rain would continue till late Tuesday evening. On Tuesday, Hagadur under Mahadevpura zone received 20 mm rain by 6 pm. Other areas like Sampangi Ramanagar received 19 mm rainfall, Basavanagudi received 17.5 mm rainfall, Rajamahal Guttahalli received 15.5 mm rainfall, and Kammanahalli and Kushalanagar received 12 mm rainfall each.
As the rain is expected to persist for the next 48 hours, the city can anticipate cloudy and hazy conditions throughout the day. The IMD has issued a ‘yellow’ alert for heavy rainfall for several districts of Karnataka, including Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Uttara Kannada, Bengaluru Urban, Bengaluru Rural, Chamarajanagara, Chikkamagaluru, Chitradurga, Davanagere, Kodagu, Kolar, and Ramanagara.
Due to the heavy rainfall, the daily life in Bengaluru was abruptly disrupted, causing waterlogging and traffic congestion. Visuals of inundation and severe waterlogging in the state’s capital were circulated widely on social media.
