Ban traffic through underpasses in Bengaluru during heavy rain: Siddaramaiah tells cops

BENGALURU: Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday directed Bengaluru police to restrict traffic along underpasses during heavy rain following the recent death of a woman at a waterlogged underpass in Bengaluru.
After a meeting with senior officials of Bengaluru civic agencies and Bengaluru police, Siddaramaiah asked BBMP to undertake a "scientific" remodelling exercise of the city's 53 underpasses, most of which have repeatedly found to be waterlogged. "Till underpasses are remodelled, we've asked cops to restrict traffic on these routes," Siddaramaiah said.

At the meeting, the CM issued a strict order to the officials to not wait till the monsoon hits the city and then take kneejerk actions. He said BBMP has been asked to resume the anti-encroachment drive on Rajakaluves, or stormwater drains, which had been suspended due to court orders.
"We'll try to convince the courts wherever there has been a stay on demolition drives. Otherwise, instructions have been given to BBMP to resume such drives on Rajakaluves and ensure the free flow of water," he said.
Siddaramaiah said that during the previous tenure of the Congress government, nearly 60% of the encroachments were cleared. He said BBMP has been instructed to clean SWDs and smaller drains in the city before the onset of the monsoon season.
Earlier, Siddaramaiah, who reviewed the havoc caused by the rain across the state, said 52 people and 331 cattle and dairy animals had died during the pre-monsoon showers, besides causing damage to 814 houses and in 20,000 hectares of land.
Since March 1 to May 22 this year, 34 people have died due to lightning, three in tree collapse incidents, seven in house collapse, five in flooding and three in electrocution. Siddaramaiah directed officials to provide immediate relief, failing which action will be initiated against them for dereliction of duty. He said a compensation of Rs 5 lakh each has been provided to the family of the 52 dead.
Chairing a meeting with district deputy commissioners and zilla panchayat CEOs through video conference, the CM said that pre-monsoon rain that the state receives from April to June is already 10% more than normal.
He said the agriculture department has been directed to ensure that there are enough and more seeds and pesticides available for farmers and that there is no repeat of the 2008 Haveri firing due to scarcity of pesticides and seeds for the sowing season.