Heavy rains: Tractor ferries kids to school in Bengaluru
BENGALURU: With heavy rain inundating Bengaluru yet again, concerns about bad roads and poor drainage have skyrocketed on social media. This time, parents and citizen groups are voicing their woes about schoolchildren. There were reports of school buses stranded on Panathur’s rail underbridge, Gunjur-Varthur Road, and several other areas on Wednesday and Thursday.
Once again, Rainbow Drive Layout on Sarjapur Road was flooded, and children had to use a tractor to get to school. Videos of the tractor went viral on social media. Agitated dwellers of the apartment complex blocked the busy Sarjapur Road on Thursday to draw the government’s attention to their problems.
“This should not happen in Bengaluru, but kids being sent to school in a tractor after Rainbow Drive Layout on Sarjapur Road in the tech corridor was flooded following rain. Pathetic state of affairs,” said one Twitter user. Vijayalakshmi S, a resident of the layout, said: “Every time it rains, up to 3ft of water stagnates, locking us inside. During exams, parents are forced to shift to hotels so that children are not inconvenienced. Solutions have been given to BBMP, but they are not keen to implement them.” K P Singh, another resident, said: “The colony was inaccessible for 24 hours.
A patient had to be moved outside the colony in a tractor, as the ambulance couldn’t enter. ” BBMP Special Commissioner, Mahadevapura, Dr KV Trilokchandra said that as per survey maps, the rajakaluve is blocked. The area is also at a lower level, leading to water stagnation. Solutions like construction of diversion drains have been suggested but will take 3-4 months to execute, until then the only solution is to pump out water, he said.
Residents have stationed a tractor in their premises for emergency purposes, while those living at the ground level have shifted to other floors or homes of relatives and friends.
WFH to avoid flood woes
Owing to rain and traffic jams, many IT firms have declared work from home for their employees, more so in areas like Bellandur, Sarjapur Road and surroundings. Parents have also demanded that schools go back to online classes.