Bengaluru East Corporation sets up flood and road panels
Bengaluru
In a bid to tackle recurring urban flooding and deteriorating road conditions, the Bengaluru East City Corporation has constituted two high-level committees — a Flood Management Committee and a Road Restoration Committee — to ensure coordinated action and accountability ahead of the monsoon season.
Commissioner D S Ramesh informed that the Flood Management Committee has been formed to implement a comprehensive urban flood action plan within the corporation’s jurisdiction. The move comes amid rising instances of waterlogging attributed to rapid urbanisation, encroachments on stormwater drains (rajakaluves), blocked rainwater flow channels, drainage deficiencies, and gaps in emergency response.
The committee, headed by the Commissioner, includes officials from the Corporation’s Engineering Department, KRIDL, Minor Irrigation Department, Police Department, South Western Railway, Public Works Department, BESCOM, and the District Disaster Management Authority, among others.
Its mandate includes pre-monsoon preparedness, desilting and maintenance of stormwater drains and underground drainage systems, mapping flood-prone areas, removing encroachments obstructing natural water flow, deploying pumps in vulnerable zones, and establishing an effective emergency response mechanism. Public complaints related to flooding will also be addressed on priority.
Simultaneously, a Road Restoration Committee under the Additional Commissioner has been formed to monitor and enforce quality restoration of roads cut by utility agencies for infrastructure works. The panel includes officials from BESCOM, KPTCL, BWSSB, GAIL, Traffic Police, and OFC operators.
Agencies will now be required to complete restoration within stipulated timelines, failing which penal action will follow. The Engineering Department will conduct technical inspections, and agencies will be held accountable for road subsidence within a specified period. The corporation said the initiative aims to improve road durability, prevent accidents, ensure smooth traffic flow, and enhance public safety during and after infrastructure works.