Parts of Bengaluru still inundated after rains batter city

The situation in several parts of rain-battered Bengaluru, by and large, continued to remain the same on Tuesday, with streets waterlogged, houses and vehicles partially inundated, as torrential downpour lashed the capital city on September 5 night. Using boats and tractors to cross the streets submerged in water by office goers and school children was a common sight this morning in several parts of the city like Yemalur, Rainbow Drive layout, Sunny Brooks Layout, Marathahalli among several others.

"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," a girl dressed in school uniform said. "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," an office goer said.

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However, several private schools have declared holidays and have switched to online teaching for a few days, while many offices have suggested employees to work from home. Most parts of the Outer Ring Road and Sarjapur road that house some IT firms resembled lakes, affecting the movement of traffic. Bikers pushing their two-wheelers that were stuck and pedestrians struggling to navigate through knee-deep water was a common sight in some places.

Chief Minister Basavaraj 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.

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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, he further said, adding that water in tankers will be supplied on behalf of the government to the areas where there are no bore wells.

According to the CM, some areas in Bengaluru City have received 150 per cent more rains than the normal rain 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 added.