Bengaluru Residents On Kanakapura Road Fall Ill: 46 Gastro Cases Reported, Water Contamination Suspected

A spate of illness has hit residents of the Prestige Falcon City apartment complex on Kanakapura Road, with many reporting severe stomach pain, diarrhoea, vomiting and dehydration over the past several weeks. The large community, which houses nearly 9,000 people, has seen a steady rise in gastro-related complaints, raising concerns among residents and prompting the intervention of civic health authorities.

Families say the situation has escalated to the point where nearby hospitals are witnessing an unusual influx of residents from the complex. Avnidhar Hawaldar, a resident, said several members of his family fell sick and were admitted to a nursing home for saline due to extreme weakness. He added that hospitals around the neighbourhood, as well as the medical facility within the apartment premises, were treating multiple similar cases.

A medical team from the Bengaluru South City Corporation has been stationed on-site since November 12 after officials received an alert from the community. According to Dr. Kumar M.V., Medical Officer with the South City Corporation, the first cases were reported on October 6 at the hospital inside the complex. He confirmed that 46 gastroenteritis cases had been recorded between October 6 and November 12 but maintained that these were sporadic cases rather than a full-fledged outbreak. Preliminary observations suggest a prevalence of viral diarrhoea, he said.

Despite official reassurances, several residents suspect contamination in the apartment's water supply. Mansoor Ali, a resident, said the number of people falling ill around the same time raises strong doubts about a source-based infection spreading through the community. In response to these concerns, civic officials have collected water samples from borewells, storage tanks, the main inlet and taps across the complex. The samples have been sent to the Public Health Institute for testing, and results are awaited. As of now, there is no confirmation that the illness is water-borne, Dr. Kumar added.

The Prestige Falcon City Residents' Welfare Association has also taken precautionary measures. RWA president Vasant Kumar said they had independently tested water samples at a private laboratory, which did not show any abnormalities. Nevertheless, the association drained all stored water, cleaned and disinfected storage tanks, and temporarily halted the use of water supplied by external tankers until the situation becomes clearer.

Civic authorities have advised residents to drink only boiled and cooled water and to seek medical assistance if symptoms persist or worsen. The community remains on alert as residents wait for official water test reports to determine the exact cause of the recent spate of illnesses.