Bengaluru Rains: Worst-Affected Areas Struggle to Recover After Monday’s Deluge | Bengaluru News
BENGALURU: India’s vaunted technology capital — crumbles pathetically at the mere whisper of rainfall. Each downpour turns the city into a paralysed, waterlogged catastrophe.This recurring humiliation lays bare infrastructural neglect, haphazard urban planning, systemic maintenance failures, and a bureaucratic apathy that mocks the city’s global aspirations. TOI documents some of the worst-affected areas on Monday.
Kengeri■ Rainfall: 132mm■ Houses inundated: 100■ Two-wheelers affected: 51■ Cars affected: 18Kote Layout in Kengeri saw over 100 homes flooded. Rain began around 9.30pm Sunday, but flooding escalated after 1.30am. “It started slowly. By 2.30am, it gushed into most houses,” said Lakshmi Devi, a resident. Residents blame disconnected drains and unchecked development for the recurring flooding. “Poor drainage — not merely the rain — is the issue,” said Ravi Kumar, scooping water from his compound. Abdul Salam, a shopkeeper, said his store was flooded for the third time in two years.“They build roads, promise drains, but nothing changes.”
Koramangala■ Rainfall: 96.5mm■ Houses inundated: 21■ Two-wheelers affected: 41■ Cars affected: 27Heavy rain between 3.30am and 5.30am Monday flooded Koramangala’s 4th to 6th Blocks. Twenty crossroads were submerged, and 20+ houses waterlogged. “It was manageable at first, then relentless,” said Narayan Rao, a long-time resident. Drains overflowed with garbage. “The floating waste clogs everything,” said Chitra Chaudhri, while Ajay Dewan spotted two snakes in a park the next morning. “They help with pests,” he said.Gagan Choudhury, another resident, said: “We call it a tech hub, but it floods like clockwork.”BTM Layout■ Rainfall: 50mm■ Houses inundated: 24■ Two-wheelers affected: 20■ Cars affected: 3
BTM Layout flooded after moderate rain exposed broken roads and blocked drains. Tavarekere and Bilekahalli were among the worst hit. “It wasn’t raining heavily. Just bad infrastructure,” said Ramesh Gowda. Kavya R, a homemaker, said, “They come, take photos, and leave. No real help.” Small businesses in BTM Stage 2 were swamped. “I cleared water all morning,” said Mahesh S, who runs an eatery. Residents say repeated complaints have led to no change in civic response.Yelahanka■ Rainfall: 103.2mm■ Houses inundated: 28■ Two-wheelers affected: 41■ Cars affected: 17Twenty of 29 lakes in Yelahanka zone have filled, flooding low-lying areas. Officials inspected Doddabommasandra Lake after over 30 homes were affected. “We’re using pumps and setting up temporary bunds,” a BBMP engineer said. Water entered homes in Vidyaranyapura and Allalasandra. “It came up to our doorstep,” said Revathi G. Major roads, including Akshay Girish Kumar Road, were waterlogged. Though motors were deployed by dawn, residents fear worsening floods if rains continue.
■ Rainfall: 79.5mm■ Shops inundated: 11■ Two-wheelers affected: 0■ Cars affected: 30A kilometre-long underpass on Hennur–Bagalur Road flooded. With no signage, drivers struggled to avoid open drains. “There was no way to tell road from drain,” said Ashwin R on way to the airport. Cars stalled, buses stuck in submerged debris. Maria John, a commuter, said 30 vehicles were stranded for two hours. Floating concrete blocks from nearby construction posed a hazard. “One hit my car,” said Rahul Desai. Locals say this underpass floods regularly, but no permanent drainage fix exists.Shantinagar■ Rainfall: 88mm■ Houses inundated: 26■ Two-wheelers affected: 35■ Cars affected: 17■ Buses: 8Shantinagar saw 2ft of water inundate homes, roads, and govt buildings. BMTC buses were stranded. “We couldn’t move them,” said a depot staffer. The CCB office was waterlogged, with files floating inside. “We may have lost sensitive documents,” said an official. Shantinagar Sports Complex was also flooded. Kamalamma G, a housekeeping worker, said she waded through waist-deep water. Residents point to poor drainage planning and demand better preparedness.HSR Layout■ Rainfall: 73mm■ Houses inundated: 21■ Two-wheelers affected: 32■ Cars affected: 13HSR Layout’s 7th Sector — often showcased as one of Bengaluru’s “well-planned” and upscale neighbourhoods — was reduced to a waterlogged nightmare after a night of heavy rain. Roads vanished under a feet of water, cars resembled boats, and families were left stranded in their homes. What was once marketed as premium urban living has, yet again, become a seasonal lake. “This has been under wraps for a few days, but now we’re launching swim clubs in Bengaluru,” joked Adithya Krishna, a resident.Another resident, Pankaj Malviya, said: “I never saw such waterlogging here until 2015. In 2016, I saw it in just two avenues. Now, it’s everywhere — because someone thought building drains 2-3ft above ground level was a good idea.”
