Bengaluru drowned once again due to rain—and mismanagement
The once-beautiful Bengaluru, India’s IT hub, is flooded. Unfortunately, the city is known to get inundated almost every monsoon.
Over the past few days, Bengaluru and Karnataka, the southern Indian state that it is the capital of, have experienced one of the most severe bouts of rainfall in 42 years.
This time, too, arterial roads went underwater and power lines snapped. One thing that didn’t change much was the commute. It was choked, even if due to waterlogging and not the vehicular traffic the city is known for.
Visuals of the city’s flooding have been doing the rounds through media platforms and social media, painting a surreal image.
It’s back and this time with more vengeance , #submerged in #water and this time inside lifts, meter rooms, no #electricity #bellandur @PMOIndia give us something in return for our tax! #bangalorerain #bangalore @BangaloreTimes1 @timesofindia pic.twitter.com/iBbbBw04Vu
— Pamli Deka (@PamliDeka) September 5, 2022
#BBMP #Media #RESCUE #Bangalore #marathalli
Can anyone listen and do something here in Marathalli Munekollala area,
There is no electricity since yesterday there is no water how do we live. pic.twitter.com/InKfhvsPdV— shailender Tiwari (@NjoydworldShail) September 5, 2022
Bangalore ORR swamped with overnight rain water sees the worst traffic in over years. #bellandur #bangalorerains #bangaloretraffic pic.twitter.com/lNysNhaGHz
— Poorna Chandra (@poorna_blr) September 6, 2022
The sinking city of Bengaluru
Bengaluru’s overflowing lakes submerged at least 75 localities, affecting some 4,000 homes and apartment complexes.
Stormwater drains have been overwhelmed, partly due to the heavy rain and partly because of poor maintenance. Commuters have even had to depend on tractors over the past few days in India’s Silicon Valley.
You may be on deathbed but important to reach offices on tractor. One should really introspect behind the romanticism of #Bangalore and India's silicon valley lies this underbelly that thrives on employee exploitation. https://t.co/2nAFZ4WZNg
— Arti_Ghargi (@arti_ghargi) September 5, 2022
Family and my Pet Albus has been evacuated on a Tractor from our society that’s now submerged. Things are bad. Please take care. DM me if you need any help, I’ll try my best to help. pic.twitter.com/MYnGgyvfx0
— Gaurav Munjal (@gauravmunjal) September 6, 2022
A 23-year-old woman was electrocuted today in eastern Bengaluru’s Whitefield area, home to scores of IT firms, after she came in contact with an electric pole. The city’s power department officials were blamed for the utter neglect of the conditions.
Financial relief for rain-related damages
BS Bommai, the chief minister of Karnataka, whose capital Bengaluru is, yesterday (Sept. 05) said his government would spend 300 crore rupees to deal with the devastation and the maintenance of the city’s basic infrastructure.
Without directly addressing the perceived mismanagement by civic authorities, Bommai said an alternative plan was being formulated for water supply.
“We will remove encroachments of roads, canals...Infrastructure will be improved. Since the state capital has received the record rains in the shortest period they need to take it as a challenge and face it unitedly,” he said during a press conference yesterday.
Meanwhile, it is forecast that the southern and northern parts of Karnataka will continue to receive heavy rain over the next 3-4 days.
