Balagere Residents Blame Faulty Drain Design for Flooding

Quick Summary

• Flooding in balagere and Panathur, Bengaluru, attributed to poor design and execution of a rajakaluve (storm water drain) built between 2020-2021.
• Faults include missing links,improper gradient leading to water flow in both directions with no proper outlet,causing overflow of stormwater mixed with sewage into homes.
• Suspected manhole inside the rajakaluve swallows rainwater and garbage during heavy rains, redirecting excess flow into a BWSSB sewage treatment plant (STP) not designed for such volume or type of waste.
• Drains filled with mud, vegetation left uncleared despite funds allocated for maintenance; roadside culverts remain incomplete, creating stagnation issues.
• Residents filed petitions questioning engineering flaws. Complaints include longstanding encroachments on the canal and incomplete land surveys before construction began.
• High Court writ petition highlights BBMP’s failure to address illegal structures obstructing drainage flows.
• Recent incidents include a school bus nearly tipping over due to potholes near the area; reports of accidents involving two-wheelers during downpours also surfaced.
• Residents demand property tax refunds via ITPF citizen forum as they argue insufficient utility of funds collected.

Images included:

1. Overflowing drains turning streets hazardous 1200/DSC6179.JPG”>(click here).
2. Mud-filled pathways obstruct drains’ functionality 1200/IMG8107.jpg”>(click here).

Indian Opinion Analysis

the flooding issues reported in Balagere-Panathur highlight systemic flaws in urban planning and drainage infrastructure management rather than merely being consequences of rainfall intensity. The poorly designed rajakaluve exemplifies avoidable errors that increase risks for residents-both structural design compromises (faulty gradients) and administrative oversights (encroachments left untouched despite clear directives).

The effects are compounded by inadequate maintenance practices like unchecked silt accumulation despite budget allocations for clearing operations. The redirection of overwhelming flood waters into an STP illustrates a mismatch between infrastructure capacity versus demands.

Legal interventions by citizens underscore growing frustration over noncompliance from civic authorities regarding improvements or rectifications post-report submissions-a scenario that juxtaposes governance accountability against taxpayer expectations.

Situations such as the school bus incident serve as urgent reminders about escalating risks due to neglected city safety measures amidst urban expansion pressures on Bengaluru’s civic systems.

Residents seeking tax refunds reflect broader dissatisfaction coupled with desperation over choices-pointing toward grassroots inclination toward self-management unless institutional reliability improves substantially.

Read more: Click Here