Despite Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) implementing a slew of measures, underpasses continue to flood in the city raising questions about the quality of works undertaken by the civic body.
Sheshadripuram underpass, Le Meridien underpass, and Panathur Railway Underbridge were inundated following the heavy spells of rain on Monday evening disrupting traffic. In May, an employee of a software company died after the car in which she was travelling submerged in water in K.R. Circle underpass near the Vidhana Soudha. The death prompted the BBMP to inspect all the underpasses in the city and implement measures to avoid such incidents.
The BBMP after inspection installed measures like desilting drains, removing silt settled on the road, road humps, keeping water pumps ready, and others. However, the measures failed to withstand the rain in some of the underpasses on Monday.
BBMP Chief Engineer B.S. Prahlad, talking to The Hindu, said in areas where constructions are ongoing, waterlogging is imminent. A small amount of rain will inundate the roads. “On the other hand, storm-water drain works were stopped and as a result the situation worsened. Most of the underpasses did not flood and it reflects the BBMP works. He said once the storm-water drain works are completed, instances of flooding will come down drastically,” he said.
