Bengaluru Authority orders water board to fill lakes, fix sewage leaks

The Greater Bengaluru Authority has ordered the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board to coordinate with city corporations to fill lakes under Cauvery Stage V and through sewage treatment plants.

GBA chief M. Maheswar Rao announced the directive after the third meeting of the GBA executive committee held on Thursday. The water board was also instructed to focus on limiting leakages and coordinating with city corporations while implementing its annual action plan.

Rainwater harvesting systems under scrutiny

The BWSSB has been directed to take up a special drive to identify irregularities after noting that rainwater harvesting systems were failing in some cases, resulting in water entering the sewerage network.

Fire safety and transport overhaul

The Fire and Emergency Services submitted a list of 55 locations in the city where a fire hydrant network could be installed. Greater Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda, who chaired the executive committee meeting, also directed the department to review the need for foam-based fire tenders.

The Minister ordered the shifting of 103 bus-stands in the city to eliminate traffic chokepoints. He also asked BMTC and other department officials to come up with an action plan to improve first- and last-mile connectivity to promote public transport.

Infrastructure and civic monitoring

Byre Gowda ordered the completion of the walkway at Iblur Junction on the Outer Ring Road, one of the city's most congested junctions. The corporations have been told to expedite the Suraksha 75 project taken up to curb accidents in the city.

Rao said that CCTV cameras installed under the Safe City project could be used for civic work purposes, such as identifying potholes or garbage littering.

Source: The Hindu