The incessant rains in Bengaluru have brought life to a standstill in many parts of the Marathahalli locality, but the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has not been of any help, residents allege. In the neighborhoods behind Deepa Nursing Home, water has stagnated for three days, and residents have been unable to move out. “There is hip-level flooding. We are running out of drinking water and essentials. There has been no power for three days. We are unable to cook or clean since we cannot pump water into the tanks. We have made multiple complaints to BBMP. They keep saying they will send someone, but they do not,” Nancy, who lives in Marathahalli tells TNM.
The problem according to her and other residents is that the main storm water drain has been blocked up by rubble and is causing a backflow of the rain water into the area. “The depth of the drain has been greatly reduced due to the rubble, there is a sort of walkway partially covering it as well. We don’t know who put it there or who authorised it. We have not been able to get answers regarding that so far. There is more rain predicted for today, if the BBMP doesn’t ensure that the water is pumped out immediately, the situation will become much worse. Water has already entered two or three houses, I’m worried the same will happen in our home too.” Nancy says, adding that she lives on the ground floor.
Other residents tell TNM that until last year, the storm water would drain water away in a few hours even if the area did flood. “This time, the water hasn’t gone down an inch for three days,” says Jennifer, “Water came into the first floor of our house. This is water from the backflow coming out of the storm water drain, so it smells terrible.” She too says that the BBMP has been of no assistance. “I cannot leave the house to go to my office. I can’t work from home either since there is no power.”
Chethan, another resident who works in marketing and sales is also worried about not being able to go in to work. “We’ve been running low on food or drinking water. There has been no power for three days,” he adds. “What are the authorities doing? No one has even come to check on us.”
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