BENGALURU: Soon after there is a downpour in the city, most underpasses turn into canals. One of them is the Doddanekkundi railway underpass. However, after a recent spot inspection by MLA Arvind Limbavali, BBMP has started work to prevent the underpass from flooding in future. More than 15,000 people use this underpass every day to reach Doddanekkundi village from Outer Ring Road. When the underpass floods, vehicles get stuck in it for hours together.
On October 9, Limbavali inspected the underpass with other officials to find a permanent solution to the problem. After the inspection, certain plans were made and the underpass was closed down for work. They plan to rent two high-powered water pumps for the next one month to pump out the rainwater.
The owner of a chicken stall has been asked to move as he had encroached the drain near the underpass. This was blocking the water flow from the drain. The retaining wall, next to the stormwater drain, will be extended to prevent water and mud from flowing into the underpass. Further, the BBMP team has dug across the road and connected a drain to the SWD.
Clement Jaykumar, member of citizen activist group Doddanekundi Rising, said, “Work is expected to be completed within 30-45 days and then the underpass will be opened for commuters. For now, the commuters are taking an alternate route, which is a detour of 1.5 km.”
BBMP Special Commissioner (Solid Waste Management) D Randeep, in-charge of Mahadevapura Zone, said, “The underpass is in a low-lying area. They are putting gradient pipes so that the rainwater is channelled to the SWD. After another 15 days, the underpass will not flood anymore.”