Bengaluru: Bengaluru is literally shaken by the heavy downfall of rains for the last few days. The incessant rains in the capital has created hell for Bengaluru residents. Hundreds of houses and apartments will turn into a flood prone zone, if the water level will not recede. The reality of Bengaluru has been revealed to millions of people by this rain. When we look at what causes the water to overflow like a flood in Bengaluru, the answer is the same. This encroachment is the reason for Bengaluru’s flooding. The political blame game is unfolding its usual course as the word Rajakaluve passes in heated debates.
The area where rice was grown. Hundreds of acres in the middle of four lakes were cultivated by the surrounding villagers. But luxury estates have come up in that swampy area. Rainbow Drive Layout of Sarjapura Main Road, the neighboring The Country Side, Sunny Brooks Layout, Wipro Company and surrounding layouts have been built after the IT-BT companies have laid a log on the Outer Ring Road. All these layouts are located in the central part of Halanayakanahalli Lake, Dodda Kannahalli, Kaikondrahalli and Saul Lake. Rainwater stagnates in these layouts, which are built in paddy fields. Bengaluru residents are distressed as the Rajakaluves are closed and there is no place for water to flow.
The builders who built the layout on the swampy land have encroached the Rajakaluve. They built a layout on the Rajakaluve encroached land, sold plots and made money. Residents who do not know this are now suffering. Due to the current flood situation in Bengaluru, the illegal encroachment of Rajakaluve has gained attention. In fact, areas that have witnessed illegal encroachment are suffering from waterlogging. Mahadevpura is an example of this in the current situation.
Encroachment of lakes, concretisation and unscientific land use are the major causes of heavy rain damage in Bengaluru. People have now come to know that in which area there was a lake earlier and in which area the Rajakaluve flowed. People should be aware of illegal layout construction, encroachment of lake, Rajakaluve, and excessive concretisation due to rain damage. One should think many a times before buying a site for building a house and layout. Others should give preference to scientific land use and water harvesting.
What is a Rajakaluve?
Rajakaluve or Storm Water Drain is an arrangement made to facilitate the flow of rain water from one channel to another lake. Rajakaluve is located in the area of 840 km under BBMP of Bangalore city. Vrishabhavati, Koramangala Chellaghatta Valley and Hebbal Valley are major Rajakaluves. It has 415 km long primary stage canal, and 426 km long secondary stage canal. Out of 840 km of Rajakaluve, 400 km of Rajakaluve repair work has been completed. Now 171.50 km long Rajakaluve development has been taken up.
Rajakaluve encroachment is pending in 696 places under BBMP. In 2016, with the aim of controlling the floods in the city, a survey was conducted by the Revenue Department and 2,626 cases of encroachment of Rajakaluve were found. Out of this, 428 encroachment cases were cleared in 2016-17, 1502 in 2018-19 and 714 in 2020. At present over 300 encroachments are pending for eviction.
If Bengalureans are worried about whether their property sits on a storm drain or a ‘Rajakaluve’, there is a way to find out. IIMB and RERI in partnership with Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) have launched a web based portal – www.rajakaluve.org. To get this service, you need to have survey number, village and taluk details in the registration document. Then you can find the property online using BBMP Rajkaluve map. There is a general fear due to lack of information among citizens about whether their properties have encroached Rajakaluves. So through this website citizens can get rid of their fear.