<p>Each time the skies open up over Bengaluru, the city gasps for breath. Streets turn into rivers, homes are submerged, and daily life grinds to a halt. </p><p>On Monday, three people were reported dead in rain-related incidents in the city. Civic distress has become a familiar cycle – from Sai Layout to Horamavu, Koramangala 5th Block to Hebbal, the Outer Ring Road stretch from Marathahalli to Bellandur, and the down ramp near Silk Board. These, and many other areas flood every year, yet the administration pretends it is caught off guard. </p><p>This is no longer a natural disaster, it is a man-made crisis. Flooding in Bengaluru is not just a weather problem, it is a glaring failure of urban governance. Rapid urbanisation, rampant illegal construction, and an outdated Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP) have together led to a catastrophic breakdown. </p><p>Lakes and wetlands have been encroached upon, natural drainage paths are obstructed, and stormwater drains are poorly designed, inadequate, or choked with debris due to lack of maintenance.</p>.<p>While debates rage over illegal construction and white-topping that prevent water percolation, the bigger failure is far more basic – the regular maintenance of drainage systems. </p><p>The city’s secondary and tertiary drains are often forgotten and zoning regulations are met with indifference. Instead of implementing comprehensive upgrades to stormwater infrastructure commensurate with the city’s growth, civic agencies offer only token improvements, leaving many neighbourhoods vulnerable. </p><p>The question is: why is no action taken when the causes for flooding are well known? The civic agencies are caught in a web of poor planning, outdated policies, and a crippling lack of accountability. </p><p>The absence of an elected civic body only adds to the problem. Unless these structural issues are addressed, Bengaluru will remain perpetually at risk.</p>.Bengaluru rains: Two electrocuted while clearing rainwater from apartment cellar, death toll rises to 3.<p>What the city needs is not excuses but a robust roadmap for resilience. First, stormwater drains should be expanded and engineered to accommodate current rain intensity. </p><p>Second, desilting should be a regular, monitored civic activity, not a last-minute task before the monsoon. </p><p>Third, encroachments on lakes and floodplains should be cleared with firm political will, not delayed by vote bank politics. </p><p>Additionally, a modern urban plan that incorporates flood risk and sustainable development is essential. Leveraging technology, IoT (Internet of Things) sensors, data analytics, and early warning systems can greatly enhance rainwater management. </p><p>Above all, coordination between different civic bodies must translate from paperwork to real action. Bengaluru cannot afford to drown in apathy any longer. </p><p>The time for decisive action is not next year or tomorrow, but now. If this inaction persists, the city’s aspirations will be forever waterlogged.</p>
<p>Each time the skies open up over Bengaluru, the city gasps for breath. Streets turn into rivers, homes are submerged, and daily life grinds to a halt. </p><p>On Monday, three people were reported dead in rain-related incidents in the city. Civic distress has become a familiar cycle – from Sai Layout to Horamavu, Koramangala 5th Block to Hebbal, the Outer Ring Road stretch from Marathahalli to Bellandur, and the down ramp near Silk Board. These, and many other areas flood every year, yet the administration pretends it is caught off guard. </p><p>This is no longer a natural disaster, it is a man-made crisis. Flooding in Bengaluru is not just a weather problem, it is a glaring failure of urban governance. Rapid urbanisation, rampant illegal construction, and an outdated Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP) have together led to a catastrophic breakdown. </p><p>Lakes and wetlands have been encroached upon, natural drainage paths are obstructed, and stormwater drains are poorly designed, inadequate, or choked with debris due to lack of maintenance.</p>.<p>While debates rage over illegal construction and white-topping that prevent water percolation, the bigger failure is far more basic – the regular maintenance of drainage systems. </p><p>The city’s secondary and tertiary drains are often forgotten and zoning regulations are met with indifference. Instead of implementing comprehensive upgrades to stormwater infrastructure commensurate with the city’s growth, civic agencies offer only token improvements, leaving many neighbourhoods vulnerable. </p><p>The question is: why is no action taken when the causes for flooding are well known? The civic agencies are caught in a web of poor planning, outdated policies, and a crippling lack of accountability. </p><p>The absence of an elected civic body only adds to the problem. Unless these structural issues are addressed, Bengaluru will remain perpetually at risk.</p>.Bengaluru rains: Two electrocuted while clearing rainwater from apartment cellar, death toll rises to 3.<p>What the city needs is not excuses but a robust roadmap for resilience. First, stormwater drains should be expanded and engineered to accommodate current rain intensity. </p><p>Second, desilting should be a regular, monitored civic activity, not a last-minute task before the monsoon. </p><p>Third, encroachments on lakes and floodplains should be cleared with firm political will, not delayed by vote bank politics. </p><p>Additionally, a modern urban plan that incorporates flood risk and sustainable development is essential. Leveraging technology, IoT (Internet of Things) sensors, data analytics, and early warning systems can greatly enhance rainwater management. </p><p>Above all, coordination between different civic bodies must translate from paperwork to real action. Bengaluru cannot afford to drown in apathy any longer. </p><p>The time for decisive action is not next year or tomorrow, but now. If this inaction persists, the city’s aspirations will be forever waterlogged.</p>
