Knight Frank proposes additional 600 km of stormwater drains be built in Bengaluru to avoid flooding
Bengaluru (PTI): Property consultancy firm Knight Frank on Wednesday published a report recommending an additional length of more than 600 kilometres of storm water drain (SWD) infrastructure to avoid recurrent flooding in Bengaluru.
The international property consultancy firm also noted that the government should invest Rs 2,800 crore on remodelling and expansion of SWD infrastructure.
In its report titled 'Bengaluru Urban Flood', Knight Frank underscored that as Bengaluru is one of the key engines of the country's economic growth, real estate development will continue to expand to accommodate the city's growth.
For long-term sustenance, there needs to be greater emphasis on the cohesive development of real estate and strengthening of supporting infrastructure without causing further damage to the ecosystem of Bengaluru, the consultancy firm said.
To avoid recurring instances of urban flooding, the governing bodies need to rejuvenate and remodel the city's SWD infrastructure, the report mentioned.
In September last year, torrential downpour led to several parts of Bengaluru reeling with flooded roads and several residential localities along with IT companies remaining inundated for days.
"Currently, Bengaluru has 842 km of primary and secondary drains. To complement the spatial expansion, the city broadly requires an addition of approximately 658 km of primary and secondary drains adding up to a total length of 1,500 km," the firm said.
"As per Knight Frank estimates, the capex requirement for construction of new drains in addition to rejuvenation of existing drains is estimated to be Rs 2,800 crore," it added.
The Karnataka government in its 2023-24 state budget announced an allocation of Rs 3,000 crore for developing stormwater drain infrastructure in the city with assistance from the World Bank, which according to Knight Frank is in line with its estimates.
The consultancy firm said the share of the built-up area of Bengaluru owing to burgeoning population growth has increased from 37.4 per cent in 2002 to 93.3 per cent in 2020.
As a result of rapid and unplanned development, the infrastructure supporting the natural ecosystem of Bengaluru, especially the SWD system has come under severe stress, it noted.
"The interconnection between the water bodies such as lakes and stormwater drains have been severely affected causing recurrent floods in the event of heavy rainfall," Knight Frank said.
The firm has recommended in its report that Bengaluru can adopt nature-based solutions such as 'sponge city' developments as a measure to resolve urban flooding. "Sponge city is a new urban construction model for flood management being implemented in China, aimed at strengthening ecological infrastructure and drainage systems," the report further said.
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Delhi Polls: BJP faces protest, placates MLA amid resentment over ticket distribution
New Delhi, Jan 12: Resentment surfaced in the BJP on Sunday over ticket distribution for Delhi Assembly polls, with a protest held outside its Delhi unit office and an angry outburst by the outgoing MLA from Karawal Nagar who was not included in the candidate list released a day earlier.
As MLA Mohan Singh Bisht threatened to revolt after being denied a ticket from Karawal Nagar, the party rushed to control the damage and announced his candidature from the Mustafabad seat this evening.
A group of protesters from Tughlakabad in South Delhi held a dharna at the gate of the Delhi BJP office, demanding a change in the candidate from the constituency.
"Vikram Bidhuri Tum Sangharsh Karo; Modi Se Bair Nahi, Rohtas Teri Khair Nahi," the protesters, including mostly youngsters, chanted as the party leaders tried to pacify them.
In the second list of BJP candidates for the polls declared on Saturday, Rohtas Bidhuri was fielded from the Tughlakabad seat. In 2020 Assembly polls, Vikram Bidhuri who is a relative of senior party leader Ramesh Bidhuri, lost to AAP's Sahiram by over 13,000 votes.
A similar protest was also held by some party workers outside the Delhi BJP office against Mehrauli candidate Gajainder Yadav after the announcement of the first list of candidates earlier this month.
Bisht, the senior-most BJP MLA in the outgoing Assembly elected five times from Karawal Nagar, openly expressed unhappiness over being denied the ticket to contest from his stronghold.
A senior party leader said he was pacified after a meeting with BJP chief JP Nadda.
Bisht, after getting the ticket from Mustafabad, expressed confidence that he would win the seat for the BJP.
"I met the national president and things were ironed out. I have assured that I will contest from Mustafabad and win the seat for the party," Bisht told PTI.
The MLA said he and the BJP had considerable support in Mustafabad and he has already attended two public meetings there.
The BJP won the Mustafabad seat, having a significant minority community presence, in the 2015 Assembly polls but lost it to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in 2020.
Earlier in the day, Bisht told PTI that the party's decision to replace him with Kapil Mishra was "wrong" and its consequences will be visible after voting on February 5.
"You have challenged the 'samaj' (his Uttarakhandi community), not Mohan Singh Bisht. The BJP will lose at least 8-10 seats because of this decision, including Karawal Nagar, Burari, Mustafabad and Gokalpuri," Bisht warned.
The BJP fielded Kapil Mishra, a Hindutva hardliner, from Karwal Nagar in North East Delhi, which was rocked by massive communal violence just after the 2020 Assembly polls.
Sources in the party claimed that there was also "deep resentment" among the Delhi BJP's Scheduled Castes Morcha leaders over being denied tickets from different constituencies including Madipur and Kondli.
A top Delhi BJP functionary stressed that there are many ticket aspirants, so it is natural for those who did not get selected to feel disappointed.
"The BJP is a disciplined party and its leaders understand this. Sooner or later, everyone will realise this and work for the victory of the party giving up their resentment," he said.
The elections to 70 Assembly seats in Delhi are scheduled on February 5. Results will be out after the counting of votes on February 8.
The BJP, out of power in Delhi since 1998, is making all-out efforts to return to power. In the 2015 and 2020 Assembly polls, the party was completely routed by the AAP, scraping through with just three and eight seats, respectively.
