50m drain shrinks to 12m. Sai Layout in Bengaluru poses tough questions to chief minister, deputy chief minister | Bengaluru News
Bengaluru: Anger and frustration greeted CM Siddaramaiah and his deputy DK Shivakumar when they landed in flood-hit Sai Layout in Horamavu. Residents, whose houses were submerged in water for two consecutive days, shot direct questions on the lack of permanent solutions to repeated flooding in the area.The CM announced Rs 13 crore to complete drain works and directed officials to expedite the work. Residents, though, were not convinced. Questions came thick and fast: What work was done over the years to solve flooding in the area? Why does Sai Layout continue to bear the brunt for so long?“There is a mini-lake right in front of my house. Many of us couldn’t clean our sumps or tanks. We are unable to cook. And these officials keep coming and going,” said John HD, a resident of Sai Layout.“While we were waiting to talk to the CM, they (officials) didn’t allow us to talk to him. We were surrounded by officials and engineers. We are still dependent on food handed in by BBMP and NGOs. We are not sure what will happen tomorrow if it rains again. We are back to zero.”Abdul Farrid Khan, another resident stuck at home for two days, echoed the demand for concrete measures. “We can’t afford to spend thousands on reorganising our buildings and lives just because it floods every time. We are tired of facing floods every year.”Neelufar Ahmeed, one of the oldest residents in the area, was upset with the response from authorities. “When I told our issue to DyCM, he said we have built our houses ‘on a lake’. What should we do if it is BDA land now they call it the lakebed? The CM had nothing to tell us. We have no idea when the works will be completed.”According to BBMP officials, Sai Layout is in a low-lying zone, making it vulnerable during heavy rain. The Dakshina Pinakini river’s high water levels have been reversing the flow of rainwater into drains, causing backflow and inundating residential areas.The key drainage line behind the layout — originally 50-metre wide – is now just two six-metre-wide vents under a railway bridge, slowing down water discharge. A Rs 14-crore project to restore the vent to its original width has been taken up. The CM stated, “I have instructed the release of Rs 13 crore for this work by BBMP. Work costing Rs 6 crore is already completed, and Rs 3 crore is paid.”Bengaluru’s KR Puram MLA Byrathi Basavaraj admitted to delays and promised accountability. “Even we are tired of seeing them suffer every monsoon. For the past two years, the contractor has not been paid. How do we expect the work to be completed?”
