Click to play videoBangalore: After four days of heavy rainfall, M Muniraju is trying to re-fix the sand bags at his gate. But it's a lost cause. Water has already filled up parts of his home and the Met department has forecast more rains.
No protection is foolproof — for, all the water overflowing from the lake nearby just flows into the road in front of their home.
"Every year we spend thousands of rupees to try and contain the water and raise the level of the steps, but as soon as it rains, water from the drains enter our homes — even sewage water," says he.
Before every monsoon, the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) promises to clear storm water drains of silt. But problems persist.
Residents say that road and drains are the main problems. They also say that phone lines get snapped, leaving them with no means of communication.
Fortunately, this time araound, BBMP has also decided to take some permanent measures like demolishing structures that have come up on storm water drains over the last few years and blocking smooth flow of excess water.
Says Deputy Commissioner, BBMP, K S Venkateshappa, "We have identified 9 to 10 structures and buildings that we are going to pull down."
Bangalore has already recorded 237 mm of rain this month and looks set to beat a 10 year record of 277 mm rain in September.
Bangalore used to be a lake city but now it's just a water-logged city. For years, Bangaloreans have been encroaching upon lakes, tank beds and storm water drains and now they are paying the price for it.
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