BBMP resumes anti-encroachment drive in Bengaluru to clear stormwater drains 

The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has resumed its efforts to clear encroachments on stormwater drains in the Mahadevapura zone of Bengaluru. This anti-encroachment drive comes after a temporary halt during the period of Assembly elections.

The initiative to remove encroachments gained momentum following severe floods that affected Bengaluru in September 2022. At that time, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai instructed the clearing of encroachments on rajakaluves, or stormwater drains. However, the drive was temporarily put on hold due to the Assembly elections and subsequent formation of the Congress government.

To address the issue, the BBMP has issued notices to properties located along the stormwater drains. In September 2022, the civic body compiled a comprehensive list that revealed numerous buildings encroaching upon these drains, thereby obstructing the flow of rainwater. The data provided by the BBMP indicated that there were 696 areas in the city where such encroachments had occurred, with the highest number (175) found in Mahadevapura.

The list encompassed a variety of establishments, including tech parks, prominent builders, private hospitals, and developers. Former CM Bommai affirmed that eviction notices had been served to all illegal structures, emphasizing that regardless of ownership by individuals, businesses, or tech companies, the encroachments would be cleared.

Prior to the flooding in September 2022, the BBMP had already identified 1,174 encroachments on stormwater drains within the Mahadevapura constituency during the 2015-16 period. Of these, 1,032 encroachments had already been removed, leaving 142 remaining. Out of the 142, 11 cases are currently in court. In light of this, the BBMP has surveyed the properties involved in these legal disputes, reiterating its commitment to removing the encroachments from the stormwater drains.

(With inputs from Nagarjun Dwarakanath)