bengaluru: Large parts of Bengaluru inundated due to torrential rains

Rain-battered Bengaluru continued to suffer due to torrential rains that inundated large parts of the metropolitan city and made it difficult for people to travel to work and for school children to reach schools.

“I came by tractor as roads are all submerged in water, also our vehicles are under water… I have exams from tomorrow, so I have to go to school,” PTI quoted a girl, dressed in school uniform, as saying.

In several areas like Yemalur, Rainbow Drive layout, Sunny Brooks Layout, Marathahalli people could be seen struggling to wade through waterlogged streets and using boats and tractors.

Several private schools have declared holidays and employees are working from home.

“Water has not receded, as there was rain once again last night (Monday), in fact I feel it has increased. I have to go to the office, kids have schools, and I somehow used a tractor today. Request the government and authorities to do something and restore normalcy,” said an office goer to PTI.

According to Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, some areas in the state capital have received 150 per cent more rains than normal between September 1 and 5. Mahadevapura, Bommanahalli and K.R.Puram have recorded 307 per cent excess rain.

“This was the highest rainfall in the last 42 years. All the 164 tanks in Bengaluru are filled to the brim,” he said.

Bikers pushing their two-wheelers that were stuck and pedestrians struggling to navigate through knee-deep water was a common sight in some places. Bommai, who chaired a meeting of senior Ministers and officials on Monday night said a decision has been taken to release Rs 300 crore to deal with the current rain situation as well as the maintenance of basic infrastructure in Bengaluru. He also said that Rs 9.50 crore has been released to establish a company of State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) exclusively for Bengaluru and to provide the equipment.

On the T K Halli pump house in Malavalli taluk of Mandya which pumps Cauvery water to Bengaluru, being affected due to overflowing Bheemeshwara River and water from the surrounding lakes, the CM said flood water is being drained out, but it will take two days to drain out water from Cauvery 3rd stage pump house and to resume work. Noting that an alternative plan has been formulated for water supply to Bengaluru, he said around 8,000 bore wells are under the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) control and they would be restarted to supply water during the disruption in Cauvery water supply to areas.

Instructions have also been given to supply water from the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) bore wells to areas where there has been disruption in water supply due to rain, Bommai further said, adding that Water in tankers will be supplied on behalf of the government to the areas where there are no bore wells.

(With inputs from PTI)