'Bengaluru isn't Electronic City': BBMP chief defends civic body amid rain chaos

Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Chief Commissioner M Maheshwar Rao, while replying to the comparisons between Bengaluru and Electronic City, said that drawing such parallels are not fair due to the vast differences in size and complexity between the two areas.

While speaking to News18, Rao welcomed the suggestions that BBMP should take a leaf out of the Electronic City Industrial Township Authority (ELCITA)’s playbook. “Any new form of technology that can help address Bengaluru’s problems is welcome. But don’t forget the size of the city and the complexities that come with it, compared to a smaller township. Bengaluru has a population of over 14 million."

ELCITA should be appointed to maintain all major industrial estates. They can train @BBMPofficial to maintain each ward. Bengalurus quality of living is becoming insufferable. B@TVMohandasPai @BBMPCOMM @MBPatil https://t.co/fSNI0ACdCO Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw (@kiranshaw) May 19, 2025

Rao acknowledged the good work done by the Electronic City Industrial Township Authority (ELCITA) and said BBMP is open to learning from their efforts. “In a controlled environment like ELCITA, things are different from Bengaluru city. We would be very welcoming of any innovations they have implemented. The availability of space and the nature of responses to companies under ELCITA are easier to manage than in a city dealing with a much larger number of stakeholders," he said.

“Obviously, the problems in Bengaluru are far more complex. I will not downplay the work ELCITA has done — in fact, I hope we can replicate their successes in the rest of the city. But Bengaluru is a city of 14 million. In ELCITA, the stakeholders and decision-makers are limited. Our canvas is much larger," Rao added.

He also addressed concerns about the city’s ability to handle rainfall. “Bengaluru is equipped to deal with up to 65–70 mm of rain, which is the standard across Indian cities. But recently, the city received 104 mm in one day — the second-highest in a decade,” Rao said, explaining the unusual pressure on the system.

The statement came in response to a social media post by Biocon Chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw. She suggested that ELCITA be given responsibility to manage Bengaluru’s major industrial areas and also train BBMP officials to handle ward-level administration better. She described Bengaluru’s living conditions as “insufferable” and tagged city officials in her post on X (formerly Twitter).

She also shared a video by entrepreneur Mohandas Pai, who urged Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar to make use of ELCITA’s experience and expertise in managing urban infrastructure.

Meanwhile, Rao was on the ground inspecting flood-affected zones in a tractor after an overnight downpour battered the city for over six hours between Sunday and Monday, bringing parts of Bengaluru to a standstill.

Among the worst-hit areas was Sri Sai Layout in KR Puram, where Rao had to wade through knee-deep water in a tractor. Sai Layout has become synonymous with flooding, and officials say the core issue is its location, a low-lying former lakebed. Despite repeated interventions, the area continues to suffer.

“The main problem is that the nalla (drain) next to Sai Layout is at a higher elevation. It collects runoff from large parts of North and Northeast Bengaluru, but the old railway vents meant to carry water out are narrow and outdated," Rao told News18.