Showers have dampening effect on businesses
DH News Service, Bengaluru, Sep 4 2017, 0:56 IST
Workers, firemen sweat it out to drain water out from shops
A flooded petrol bunk in Koramangala. DH Photo
Rains which lashed the city over the last couple of days have had an adverse impact on not only residents, but also on commercial spaces. The city woke up to flooding on Saturday morning, but the scenes were a little better around the city on Sunday as the water level dropped and rain subsided.
Commercial spaces in Koramangala and nearby areas which took a beating in the torrential rains over the last few days have faced huge losses. With water-logging occurring all around, some establishments were badly hit, including losing out on their business.
Prakash, who owns a petrol pump on 80 feet road in Koramangala, says the pump had been non-operational since the August 15 rain. “The equipment and generators on our premises have all been damaged, we have never faced a situation like this in the 12 years here.”
The unsold stock has been damaged as water seeped into the office and the storeroom next to it, destroying boxes of oils and lubricants. “The water gushed into the office due to the flooding, this has happened only twice, once during the August 15 deluge and on Friday. We have faced losses up to Rs 40 lakh.”
“These incidents are happening over the last year or so. The Mayor and BBMP should sit with the officials concerned and put an end to this mess,” said Prakash.
The pipes being laid by BWSSB have added to the woes of the residents, with debris strewn right at the Maharaja signal junction.
“The process of laying the pipes started more than four months ago and the work hasn’t even moved 50 metres. It is extremely hazardous for pedestrians and motorists,” says a resident.
Prost Brew Pub also faced a similar situation. During the August 15 floods, the sump on the premises overflowed following the downpour.
“We had to clear the water on our own, using pumps and buckets. This month has been very hard with the amount of rainfall, you never know when it will flood,” said a waiter who works at Prost.
Basements of most office complexes are flooded and pumps are working round the clock to clear the stagnant water. The basements of the premises of National Insurance, Les concierges and Meibach on 80 feet road have been filled to the brim. A fireman working to pump water out of the basement of the Meibach office said they had been working on pumping the water out since 12 pm and would take eight hours more to pump all the water out.