Overflowing storm water drains causes artificial flooding in city

Overflowing storm water drains causes artificial flooding in city

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, June 18: The heavy rainfall led to artificial flooding in areas such as Padil, Capitanio, Kulur, Lower Maroli, and Kottara. The northern side of the national highway close to Navadurga garage along NH17 was completely flooded. 

 

 

 

The storm water drain that is supposed to take the storm water to the river Nethravathi no longer exists thanks to the activities of private parties, which have constructed roads and compound walls. The district administration now faces the task of identifying and fixing the boundary. The assistant commissioner and the assistant executive engineer of Mangalore City Corporation have been urged to demolish the illegal structures that are blocking the 30-feet wide drain. The revenue inspector has already lodged a complaint against Chiravith Precision (India) Ltd. for encroachment of the storm water drain area. 

The district administration task force has also identified a culvert that was blocking the free flow of storm water near Bairadikere between Padil and Kannur. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) extension has completely blocked the flow of water from the hillock to the north. Rain water from Maroli and Kulshekar also gushes through this drain and the vent provided by the NHAI was just not adequate. This led to flooding on the national highway and traffic was blocked for nearly three-quarters of an hour. Later, the culvert was expanded to allow the water to flow freely. Eight houses have been flooded; and the district administration has requested the NHAI to redesign the culvert. 

The cross drain at Ujjodi was also blocked and 10-15 houses were flooded for the past 4 days. Nirmala Tyres and Service Station, which is located close by, has completely buried 2 large main drains to expand its service station area. The situation was brought under control with the help of 2 JCBs. 

A resident of Ujjodi tried to prevent the water from coming into his compound by placing a JCB and a truck in the way of the flow. Several houses were flooded as a result of this. Later, the JCB and the truck were seized by the district administration and handed over to the police. 

The MCC has already cleared several drains, blocked by the members of the public for their convenience. The encroachers are being made to bear the costs. 

The DC requested the people to help the district administration prevent and unearth encroachments to prevent inconvenience and hardship to the entire locality. He said that the district administration will take stern action against encroachers.