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Tackling Bengaluru’s flash floods
with Sponge City systems,
underground storage tanks — «mw»
Why not let the forces of nature, the push of gravity and human ingenuity
combine to let the excess water settle safely, minimizing human suffering, ask
experts
September 28, 2023 09:00 am | Updated 09:00 amiST - Bengaluru
RASHEED KAPPAN
COMMENTS SHARE 19 reap tareR
Amodel of Rain Water Harvesting at Sir M. Visvesvaraya Rain Water Harvesting Theme Parkin Bengaluru, | Photo
Credit: Yemen SYear after year, flash floods have played havoc with Bengalureans, particularly those in and
around low-lying pockets. Erratic rains fuelled by climate change concerns give them no
time to prepare, as a month's rainfall pours down in a few hours. The frequency of these
high-intensity events has increased dramatically, demanding urgent but smart solutions.
So why not build massive underground tanks in low-lying areas to let flood waters rush in?
Why not let the forces of nature, the push of gravity and human ingenuity combine to let
the excess water settle safely, minimizing human suffering? Could this stored water be
used later to address the issues linked to a dry season?
Successful models abroad
Globally, such systems have worked although they demand a huge initial investment. In
the German city of Munich, for instance, 13 underground tanks were built to arrest the
recurring floods. The tanks were constructed in big vacant plots such as Bengaluru's civic
amenity sites. Each tank had two tiers of 8-metre depth. Flood waters would flow into the
tanks to be pumped out later when required.
Flood-prone Tokyo and Pittsburgh too had built such tanks. The one in Tokyo, arguably the
world’s largest underground water tank, is larger than a football field. Fifty-nine pillars,
each 18m tall, support the tank’s ceiling.
The models look promising. But not many are convinced. Their contention: Why invest in
such expensive projects when you can clean up the city’s existing tanks and lakes - many
of which are in low-lying areas -, and use them for rainwater storage? This is a mammoth
task yet feasible, but the stormwater drains that lead to these water bodies are horribly
polluted with sewage and solid waste.
Abig storage problem
“Bengaluru has a storage problem, not a water problem,” notes architect Naresh
Narasimhan, who had conceptualised K-100, a joint project by the Bruhat Bengaluru
Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) to
transform the Rajakaluves into clean waterways flanked by aesthetic urban spaces. The K-
100 leads to Bellandur lake, one of the city’s largest.For years, the BBMP has been trying to solve the drain capacity problem through a grand
remodeling exercise. But even after years, nearly 175km of drain network are today without
any flood protection structures. The Palike has now set aside 21,200 crore to build concrete
walls on either side of the drain. So far, about 686km of the city’s 859km of primary and
secondary stormwater drains (Rajakaluves) have been remodeled.
Giant watersheds
Beyond the Rajakaluves, the focus should also be on converting the big water bodies on the
city’s outskirts into rainwater storage tanks. Explains Naresh: “There are eight giant
watersheds around Bengaluru. We have to pass a law to create a string of pearls around the
city. And these have to be protected and water stored there. In times of crisis, this water
can be used.”
The watersheds with the lakes already exist: Hoskote lake, Byramangala kere, Bellandur
and Varthur lakes, Yele Mallappa Chetty kere, Hesaraghatta lake. “Besides, we should bring
back the Arkavathy river and revive the Dakshina Pinakini. There is a mega plan and a
micro plan, and it has to be ruthlessly mandated that rainwater is stored, delayed and not
released so that the aquifers are not depleted,” says Naresh.
Decadal failures to scale up the city’s rainwater harvesting potential, storage capacities
and to streamline its storm water management have left Bengaluru at the mercy of an
external water source. Faced with depleting water levels at the Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS)
Teservoit, BWSSB has now urged the Cauvery Neeravari Nigam Limited (CNNL) to set aside
Bengaluru city’s share for the rest of 2023. To cater to the city’s potable needs, it wants
sufficient water in both KRS and Kabini reservoirs.
Did Bengaluru not see this coming? The warning signs have been loud and clear for
decades, and yet the city’s record of retaining and reusing its precious rainwater has been
poor. This is why, former BWSSB Chief Engineer Thippeswamy has been articulating the
need to adopt the proven ‘Sponge City’ concept perfected by the Chinese.
Sponge City benefits
The objective is simple: Retain water at its source, slow down the flow, clean water
naturally and adapt it at the sink where it accumulates. In this model, rainwater getssoaked in many ways: Rooftop gardens, roads that let water permeate down, ponds,
filtration pools, wetlands and public spaces that allow the water to seep underground. In
Bengaluru, a few stretches of the smart city roads have earmarked areas for water to seep
down. But this needs urgent scaling up.
BBMB says Thippeswamy, should think beyond flood control and find ways to retain the
water. This obviously mandates a coordinated effort with the BWSSB. The ongoing white-
topping of roads across the city has already raised serious concerns about concretisation
preventing natural infiltration of rainwater to feed the groundwater table.
Chennai experience
Chennai has taken the lead among Indian
cities in adopting the sponge city model.
Thippeswamy is convinced that Bengaluru
should follow the system, which is now
being adopted by cities across the world.
The Greater Chennai Corporation has
embarked on a grand plan to transform
the entire metropolis into a sponge,
arresting both floods and groundwater
depletion.
Fifty-seven ponds are to be developed as
Afile photo of sponge parks being developed by Greater adel sponge City Parks, scaling up
Chennai Corporation. | Photo Credit: PRINCE
FREDERICK across Chennai. Equipped with recharge
wells, inlet and outlet pipes, the parks will
act as temporary storage points during heavy rains. Permeable pavements in all newly
built parks, real-time flood forecasting and spatial decision support system to develop lake
and reservoir operation guidance are also part of the plan. Several such parks have already
sprung up with walkways, trees and fencing all around.
Efficacy of flood alerts
Bengaluru has all the reasons to transform itself as a sponge city. But it may not happen in
a hurry, like all slow-moving projects in the city, Can timely flood warnings offer somerespite to the citizens? Based on telemetric weather stations and rain gauges placed at key
locations, the Karnataka State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) has a system in
place to alert the BBMP, besides BWSSB, the police, Bescom and the disaster management
teams.
However, the Palike insists that no alert can help during flash floods. The civic agency,
instead, identifies flood-prone areas in advance and focuses its attention there. In June
2020, the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Management Centre (KSNDMC) had launched
the ‘Bengaluru Megha Sandesha mobile app to provide real-time information and alerts
on weather, rainfall and flooding in the BBMP jurisdiction, But the app is yet to make
much of an impact with poor public awareness levels.
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rains / flood / Sustainability / waterharvesting / water supply / community water
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