Remodel stormwater drains to prevent flooding in Bengaluru: CM Bommai
Bengaluru, Nov 24: Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday directed civic officials to complete 30 km of major stormwater drains in Bengaluru by the end of January, to increase the carrying capacity and avoid flooding after many parts of the city were inundated in the recent incessant rains.
Talking to reporters after chairing a meeting with Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike officials on the flood situation, he said the need to immediately widen and repair Stormwater Drains to increase their carrying capacity to avoid flooding in low lying areas downstream of the lakes in the city, was discussed.
"The present stone-lined SWDs need to have RCC lining. The SWDs in outskirts of the city have mud-lining, which has to be turned into RCC canals. They also need to be widened. Action is needed to remove obstacles at many places for smooth flow of flood waters," Bommai said.
He said the city has about 842 km of SWDs across the four valleys of Vrishabhavati, Hebbal, Challaghatta and Koramangala. Of this, 415 km of SWDs have been remodeled and permission granted to take up works for another 75 km in 2019-20.
There are 94 critical spots which needs to be rectified, Bommai said, adding that he has instructed that these works be completed in two months.
The Chief Minister also directed that work on 51 km of primary drains and 38 km of secondary drains be taken up immediately. In this regard, BBMP special commissioner was instructed to prepare a Detailed Project Report for this project, which would cost Rs 900 crore, he added.
Bommai also said he had instructed the BWSSB Chairman to expedite completion of underground drainage works taken up in many layouts with the objective of providing a permanent solution to flooding.
According to him, about 2,626 encroached structures have been identified on SWDs, of which 1,480 have been cleared, while legal action has been initiated to evict 714 structures.
The operation would be carried out without causing inconvenience to the poor by giving them time, while action would immediately be taken against big builders, who had encroached, he said.
The Chief Minister also visited a few rain affected areas in the East Bengaluru on Wednesday.
ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು ನಗರದಲ್ಲಿ ಅತಿವೃಷ್ಟಿಯಿಂದ ಉಂಟಾಗಿರುವ ಹಾನಿಯ ಹಿನ್ನೆಲೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಮುಖ್ಯಮಂತ್ರಿ @BSBommai ಅವರು ಇಂದು ಬೃಹತ್ ನೀರುಗಾಲುವೆಗಳಿಗೆ ಸಂಬಂಧಿಸಿದಂತೆ ಬಿ.ಬಿ.ಎಂ.ಪಿ ಕಚೇರಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಸಭೆ ನಡೆಸಿದರು. (1/2) pic.twitter.com/ltjAPG02IG
— CM of Karnataka (@CMofKarnataka) November 24, 2021
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Train to Kashmir: 22-bogie train's trial run successful on Katra-Srinagar line
Jammu: A 22-bogie train chugged between Katra and Srinagar railway stations on Sunday, officials said, marking the first successful trial run on the newly completed line to connect Kashmir with the rest of the country via rail.
The train, comprising 18 AC coaches, two luggage carriers and two engines, left the Katra railway station at around 8 am, successfully reaching its destination within four hours under the watchful eyes of the railway authorities, the officials said.
This was the first trial run between Katra and Srinagar, and came within six days after the Commissioner of Railway Safety (Northern Circle) Dinesh Chand Deshwal authorised the opening of the newly constructed Broad Gauge line.
He had given the authorisation for the start of public carriage of goods and passenger traffic in a seven-page letter to the ministry and railway authorities, based on his detailed inspection of the track on January 7 and 8.
The CRS referred to his inspection of the newly constructed BG line between the Katra and Reasi section by a motor trolley and on foot, followed by a speed trial on the entire section from Katra to Banihal.
He had then authorised regular opening of the section for passengers and freight traffic at a maximum permissible speed of 85 Kmph on the main line and 15 Kmph on turnout.
The work on the dream project to link Kashmir by train was started in 1997 and it missed several deadlines given geological, topographical and meteorological challenges.
Out of the total 272 km Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project, 209 km was commissioned in phases with the first phase of the 118 km Qazigund-Baramulla section commissioned in October 2009, followed by 18 km Banihal-Qazigund in June 2013, 25 km Udhampur-Katra in July 2014 and 48.1 km long Banihal-Sangaldan stretch in February, last year.
The work on the 46-km Sangaldan-Reasi section was also completed in June last year, leaving a total of 17 km stretch between Reasi and Katra. And this section was finally completed in December 2024 as announced by the Railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.
On January 4, a successful trial run of an electric train was successfully conducted on the Katra-Banihal section. The railways has conducted six trials over the past month on various segments of the track, including the two major milestones of the Anji Khad and Chenab bridges.
Katra-Srinagar Rail Link: First 18-Coach Train Completes Trial Run Successfully pic.twitter.com/p68axcUClX
— Daily Excelsior (@DailyExcelsior1) January 19, 2025
