New BBMP survey finds 1,134 stormwater drain encroachments

Bengaluru: A new survey — carried out by a bunch of BBMP engineers — has found as many as 1,134 encroachments of the stormwater drain in the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) limits. With this, the civic body has identified a total of 1,963 encroachments that are yet to be removed even as Bengaluru anticipates heavy rains anytime soon. 

As per the BBMP's latest figures, a majority of the rajakaluve-related encroachments have been identified in Mahadevapura (523), which also witnessed one of the worst floods two years ago. The other zones with the highest number of encroachments are Yelahanka (379), Dasarahalli (366), Bommanahalli (204) and East 126). 

BBMP's Chief Commissioner Tushar Girinath said that a fresh round of survey was initiated on the orders of the high court.

"Apart from the stormwater drains, we are also surveying the lakes for identifying encroachments," he said.

"While some encroachments are currently being removed, the others will be taken up once the deputy commissioner issues orders on case to case basis," he added. 

According to the BBMP data, 1,639 (old and new encroachments) are held up as the orders are yet to be passed, caught in the hearing stage or a joint survey is pending. "As many as 162 encroachments are ready for removal," the data shows. 

The BBMP had earlier identified about 2,602 encroachments. The number kept increasing as and when the civic body undertook a fresh survey. So far, the BBMP has cleared as many as 1,480 encroachments.

Removal of encroachments is crucial as the BBMP is undertaking a mega project, amounting to Rs 2,000 crore, which involves building retaining walls on both sides of the drain. There were complaints from citizen groups that the civic body proceeded with the work in some places without removing the encroachments even though there is a standing instruction to take up the project only after clearing all types of blockages.