Nightmare in knee-deep water for 200 families

BENGALURU: FOR residents of Raja Rajeshwari Nivas at Hongasandra in Bommanahalli, which is home to over 200 families, the wee hours on Wednesday turned into a nightmare. With their apartment complex being flooded with at least knee-deep water, residents had to be rescued with the help of inflatable boats. The residents had to spend a sleepless night as the compound wall of the apartment gave way allowing water from the SWD that flows next to the place to gush in. As Fire and Emergency Services personnel reached the spot, the worried residents packed their essentials and set off to safer places as they were skeptical if the condition would improve any time soon.

Those residing on the first and second floors, several of them with children and women, left the place in the boats while a few others chose to stay back. “There are rescue boats that are helping us move in and out of the apartment complex,” Arun, president of the apartment association, told Express. Though BBMP claimed that arrangements were made for food and shelter, the residents said they were not aware it. As the retaining wall came crashing down, some cars were damaged while one remained under the debris. The residents also tried to push cars out of the basement hoping that the engines would not get flooded.

Blame it on the lake

Bharathi Ramachandra, the corporator of Hongasandra (189) ward said this was the fourth time this year that the area was getting flooded. “Begur Lake overflows every time as the water from neighbouring lakes gush in there. This leads to a lot of problems,” she said. She added that arrangements were made for residents to stay at the Ambedkar Conventional Hall. “We had also sought that the height of the retaining wall of the storm water drain be raised. There was a delay in issuing the work order and hence the problem,” she said.