BECC Chief details rainwater management, mitigation
BENGALURU In response to public concern over waterlogging during recent heavy downpours, Bengaluru East City Corporation Commissioner D.S. Ramesh has outlined a comprehensive strategy combining immediate emergency response with long-term infrastructure overhauls across vulnerable zones. Addressing recurrent inundation at critical transit points like the Panathur and Hoodi railway underpasses, the Commissioner noted that active coordination with the Railway Department and B-SMILE is underway. While temporary measures such as round-the-clock pumping and clearing blocked pipelines are being deployed, permanent fixes require correcting pipe gradients, expanding diameters, and redesigning stormwater alignments constrained by land acquisition hurdles. In the Spice Garden neighborhood, localized flooding was traced to debris and a fallen slab blocking two of three drainage vents. Complete desilting and obstruction removal are being prioritized to restore full flow capacity. Similarly, at the Doddanekkundi Underpass, replacing an inadequate one-foot pipe with a robust three-foot Hume pipe has successfully resolved chronic flooding issues. Other targeted interventions include constructing a new culvert near the Geddalahalli Railway Bridge on Hennur–Bagalur Road, pursuing a joint survey with the BDA in Kothanur, and submitting proposals for private-property pipeline connections near Samhita Serenity Apartments to establish proper drainage outlets. Meanwhile, low-lying areas like Sai Layout have seen near-total improvement following prior railway vent works. The City Flood Management Team remains operational 24 hours a day to address rain-related emergencies. Commissioner Ramesh urged residents to ignore rumors and utilize municipal helplines for swift assistance.
