BENGALURU: Additional Chief Secretary of Urban Development department Tushar Girinath has asked officials to complete all pending work before May 30 or get suspended.
The ACS’s warning came after he inspected multiple flood-prone locations, including Yelahanka’s Kendriya Vihara, Tata Nagar, Hebbal, Manyata Tech Park, HBR Layout, Geddalahalli, Nagawara, Sai Layout and Silk Board.
Girinath, who led the inspection on Friday morning along with Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) Chief Commissioner M Maheshwar Rao in the above areas, reviewed the progress of the multiple ongoing works to prevent flooding.
He said that a lot of work has been done in the past four years and they are hopeful of averting floods to a great extent.
During his inspection of the HBR Layout, the ACS lost his cool over the pending Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) intake well (for collection of water) construction work. Those who were part of the inspection said that the ACS was irked by the delay, and the work was pending since the time he was the Commissioner of the erstwhile Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike.
Later, while replying to the media, Girinath said that the intake well work has been pending, and the engineer has reasoned that due to the presence of the rocks, the work has been delayed.
“The engineer has sought time till October to finish the work. If he fails to do so, he would be recommended for suspension”, Girinath said.
To prevent flooding in the Kendriya Vihar Apartment area and Kogilu Junction, a 2.7 km long 35-meter-wide stormwater drain (SWD) from Venkatala Lake to Jakkur Lake would be taken up, along with a 30-foot-wide road on both sides. Girinath said that in the first phase, a 1.5 km-long RCC (reinforced cement concrete) barrier wall was constructed along with a drain to ensure smooth flow of rainwater.
He took an update on the measures taken to prevent flooding in Tata Nagar and said a stormwater drain from Doddabommasandra lake, measuring 900 meters with a 20-foot width, is being constructed.
At Hebbal, Girinath inspected the comprehensive development of the lake, taken up at Rs 15.90 crore, and the wetland and inlet construction works would commence after the 16-acre encroachment of the lake by the Fisheries Research and Information Centre is cleared.
“A system is being developed to divert rainwater into the lake from beneath Hebbal Junction,” he said.
“Permanent solutions have been implemented for four waterlogging points, including the airport-direction main carriageway down ramp, service roads, and bus stop area,” Girinath said directing officials to complete the work on the Tumkur Road loop down ramp within 15 days.
To address waterlogging in Manyata Tech Park and Veeranapalya Outer Ring Road, Girinath said land is being acquired, and SWD is being constructed at private cost.
At Silk Board Junction, culvert work has been undertaken to prevent waterlogging. The work involves increasing the height from 1.5 meters to 3.5 meters and installing gratings, and it is currently in progress, Girinath said.
Chief Commissioner Maheshwar Rao said that necessary steps should be taken to enable faster movement on the double-decker flyover constructed from Silk Board to Ragigudda. He also instructed that barricades be removed in areas where pillar work has been completed, and roads be developed to ease traffic flow.