The pictures below show what I am referring to as"box drains" under construction, on the east side of the road between Egipura jn and the bridge over the strorm-water (rather sewage) drain, in Koramangala.
What is noticeable is that the drain box top is much higher than the surface levels on either sides, making it impossible for the rain-water falling on the road surface to flow into the drain, apart from making it difficult for the dwellings/ establishments beyond to access the road.
I was thinking that this was some novel innovation that the BBMP engineers had come up until such time as a civil engineer friend, fairly knowledgeable about road engineering aspects, himself raised the matter with me. Well, the only positive I can think of in such an arrangement is that it provides for a fairly level pedestrian walk-way on top of the drain. I don't know if this is an acceptable international practice, though - perhaps, Prajagalu would like to enlighten me.
Even if it is an acceptable practice, given the poor record of BBMP in the matter of providing even and safe drain covers, leading to many a pedestrian falling into the drains and braking their bones, I am not sure such a practice is recommended for Bengaluru, at least until such times as we have a more accountable BBMP.
Muralidhar Rao
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Looks ideal for Bengaluru.
Looks ideal for Bengaluru. Vehicles cannot illegally park over the footpaths. Road should be sloped to drain inlets
(img source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/09/Storm_Drain.JPG)
with grill to filter debris, as shown. This footpath completely discourages mixing of pedestrians and traffic, physically segregates them + eliminates dumping of garbage into drains - genius! Things to ensure:
1) Continuous footpath of minimum width exists so people don't hop on/off roads.
2) Slope down near shops so people can park on road near shop (if parking is allowed) and get into the shop.
2) Provision like "pradakshine" ramp for the wheelchair-bound/elderly/moms with babies in prams at important locations. The longer, switchback ramp will hopefully discourage "regular" people from using it.
For Indian mentality, "forcible" implementation and shepherding into following rules is the way to go.
Now, if only these footpath levels are coordinated and standardized such that they are at the same level of the low floor buses, people can seamlessly walk without hassle of steps similar to metro coaches. Dreaming ... Indian railways can eliminate steps in their coach designs and make doors wider so people can wheel in luggage, wheelchair etc. More dreams ;-)
planning for layers of asphalt to be laid?
One other reason I think why they are doing these box drains so high is probably to make way for the road height to be raised by asphalting..I saw them do this on mysore road recently..
They relaid the road by increasing the height by at least a feet..yes..12 inches!
But as pointed out above, I dont see any drain inlets at all for the mysore road work..dont really know why they built the drains without inlets..
Murali Sir, do you see any inlets to these drains in the road you have posted about!?
questionable design
@ Srinidhi - There are some openings on the road side. But, they look more the result of poor work quality than incorporated by design. And, I doubt if the road surface, in the proximity of the opening, will be shaped the way it is seen in the picture posted by n. Besides, with the drain bottom being only a few inches below the road surface, I expect the flow will be from the drain to the road with even a 5mm rain.
Overall, the whole thing looks questionable.