24 MAY,2023.
Drowning of woman at underpass puts the limelight on monsoon woes in Bengaluru (PG 6)(GS 1,3
24 MAY,2023.
The death of a woman on Sunday after her car was submerged in an underpass at K.R. Circle in Bengaluru has raised questions over these structures getting inundated during rains. Water stagnation has been reported at several underpasses in the city. • According to experts, Bengaluru’s underpasses get fl•ooded only when there is a lack of or no proper maintenance of lead drains. • Nagaraj K.T., former engineer at Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), said, “At the point where both the ramps intersect, gratings are made and lead drains are constructed which carry the water to the lowest point — either a stormwater drain or secondary drain near the underpass. • [The drain] is carried to the lowest point to avoid reverse fl•ow of water.” “If the lead drain or the mouth of the grating is not cleaned up and it gets clogged up or silted up, water stagnation occurs at underpasses. • Every three months, these drains should be cleaned to avoid stagnation of water,” he added. A BBMP inquiry committee led by Engineer-in-Chief B.S. Prahlad blamed gusty winds and rains for pushing leaves and dust into the underpass, blocking the drain. Mr. Nagaraj added that overfl•owing of primary or secondary drains at the end of lead drains may also cause some water to fl•ow back to the underpasses, if the falling in the pipes are not deep enough. • Srikanth Channal, chairman, Association of Consulting Civil Engineers, Bengaluru, blamed the administrators for the failure of underpasses.