The BWSSB has won appreciation from residents and the government for restoring the Tore Kadanahalli (TK Halli) pumping station in just 36 hours.
“This is the first time a pumping station was totally flooded. All the pumps were submerged in 40 feet of water. Given the magnitude of the situation, the repair works would have gone on for seven days if not for our officials’ proactive work,” Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) Chairperson Jayaram N said.
The board deployed 150 people at the station who worked non-stop to restore the systems.
“At the CWSS (Cauvery Water Supply Scheme) IV Phase Stage 2, the regular staff strength is at 38. To face the crisis, we deployed at least 100 people. Similarly, at the CWSS Stage 3, we deployed 80 people as against the normal strength of 18,” explained Naresh, BWSSB Executive Engineer (Cauvery O&M).
Jayaram said teams from Bengaluru were moved to TK Halli to ensure the situation was swiftly brought to normalcy.
“Pumping out 40 feet of water had been an uphill task,” he said. “We had to hire more pumps than the ones at our possession. We also sought support of fire and emergency services. Specific teams worked at different stages of the repair process.”
Initial assessment revealed damages to 18 pumps and motors, which were replaced with standby equipment available at the Harohalli and Tataguni pumping stations. Senior BWSSB officials assessed the damage to be about Rs 3 crore.
To avoid flooding in future, the board is looking to strengthen the retaining walls.
“The retaining walls were built based on the High Flood Level (HFL) assessed during the construction. Now, water levels rose by 1.5 m. We will assess the new HFL, considering this as the benchmark, and strengthen the retaining wall,” Jayaram said.