Bengaluru: East Bengaluru’s recurring flooding, traffic bottlenecks, waste management challenges and illegal constructions are symptoms of a larger problem — explosive urban growth that has far outpaced infrastructure planning, Bengaluru East City Corporation commissioner said during a citizen interaction organised by Whitefield Rising Saturday.The commissioner said the region’s population has multiplied over the past two decades, transforming former village settlements into dense residential and commercial hubs, while roads, drainage systems and civic services have struggled to keep pace.Responding to residents’ concerns over flooding, the commissioner said many areas that face waterlogging today were originally part of Bengaluru’s natural stormwater drainage network. Over the years, drains were narrowed, encroached upon or converted into roads, reducing their ability to carry rainwater. He also pointed to sewage entering stormwater drains in several locations, worsening flooding.The commissioner said infrastructure projects are now being taken up to restore drainage networks and improve connectivity in rapidly developing areas. However, challenges such as land acquisition, utility shifting, forest clearances and railway crossings continue to delay several road projects.Residents seek better coordinationResidents used the interaction to raise concerns over illegal constructions, unauthorised PGs, poor quality civic works and delays in resolving complaints involving multiple agencies.Acknowledging the concerns, the commissioner said enforcement remains difficult in many cases because violations have accumulated over decades and often tied up in legal proceedings. He added that one of the key objectives of Greater Bengaluru governance framework is to improve coordination between agencies such as BWSSB, Bescom, BMTC and civic authorities.
