From drought to deluge: Is Bengaluru ready for the monsoon?

The city's poor monsoon preparedness had been laid bare by the recent rains

It was a rather quick switch from water shortage to waterlogging in Bengaluru. The city's poor monsoon preparedness was laid bare by the recent rains. Fallen trees, waterlogging, and power outages marked the arrival of rains after a record ruthless summer.

Bengaluru got a glimpse of what could be in store for it during the monsoon season barely a month away with the first spell of heavy rain on May 6. The city recorded 19 mm of rain that evening, resulting in heavy waterlogging at 33 locations, over 100 fallen trees, damaged electricity poles, inundated underpasses, and traffic snarls, leaving commuters stranded.

While civic body Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) had over 160 days to prepare for the rain and its aftermath, it appears to have been caught napping again. Only two day earlier, BBMP chief commissioner Tushar Girinath told reporters the civic body was well-prepared for the monsoon.

"As of May 3, 75 percent of the cleaning in the 859 km stormwater drainage system had been completed, with the remaining work expected to be finished by May 20," he said on May 4. His claim was washed away in two days.

Apart from the unpreparedness, civic polls have not been held since September 2020 and ward representatives aren't around, leaving the citizens to fend for themselves.

Also, read: Bengaluru rains: Fallen trees, hailstorm, and waterlogging

Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Ltd. (BESCOM) said in a statement on May 7 that its helpline 1912 was flooded with calls and became inaccessible to consumers. It issued WhatsApp numbers for eight districts in its jurisdiction. It said electric poles and electrical infrastructure have been damaged due to the heavy rain and wind for three days.

Girinath of BBMP, who conducted a review meeting on May 7, urged officials to inspect areas where metro construction is under way to assess the potential impact on rainwater flow. He instructed them to create WhatsApp groups for each zone, collaborating with other departments to address complaints and issues during the rainy season.

Girinath was unavailable for comment.

Citizens, activists and urban planners criticised the BBMP and called for urgent steps to be taken to minimise any disruption caused by rainfall.

Cylindrical drains

Urban planner Ashwin Mahesh urged the civic body to replicate the Tender SURE model that was implemented in the central business district, lauding its effectiveness in reducing flooding and extending the lifespan of roads.

The Tender SURE (Specifications for Urban Road Execution) standards require networked services beneath the road, including water, sewage, power, optical fibre cables (OFC), gas, and stormwater drains, to be integrated.

"Why hasn't this successful model been implemented citywide? Tender SURE is a successful model with reduced flooding and longer-lasting roads but it has not been extended to other parts of the city.  This is because Tender SURE requires sophisticated contractors, which BBMP seems to not want," said Mahesh.

Also, read: Eye on Bengaluru: Why India’s tech hub just cannot manage rain

Although the upfront expenses for Tender SURE are higher, the investment proves to be cost-effective over time, Mahesh said. Many of these projects are funded by the state government, so finances aren't really a concern.

"Instead of constructing them correctly the first time, there's a tendency to repeat mistakes," he alleged.

Mahesh said rainwater flows better in cylindrical-shaped drains, which are used in Tender SURE roads.

"The contractors awarded the contracts often lack the expertise to construct cylindrical drains because they're only familiar with box-shaped ones... Currently, cylindrical drains are only found in Tender SURE roads, which were constructed by sophisticated contractors... this issue can only be rectified with political will," Mahesh said.

BBMP unprepared

TV Mohandas Pai, former CFO of Bengaluru-based Infosys, criticised BBMP's lack of preparedness for the June-September southwest monsoon.

"BBMP is not ready for the monsoon, and the officers seem unconcerned as they repeat the same mistakes year after year. They are aware of the problematic drains and flood-prone areas. However, flooding is not everywhere as it occurs only in specific locations. What steps have they taken in the last five years to address this?" he asked.

Also, read: First floods, now dry days: Decoding tech hub Bengaluru’s water woes

Harish Bijoor, a Bengaluru-based brand strategist, stressed the need for immediate action.

"BBMP needs to act fast: clean up clogged drains, ensure clear flow in stormwater drains, and revive our lakes. Proper drainage and lake rejuvenation can mitigate flooding,” Bijoor said. “When it rains, the ground must either soak up the water and regenerate our dry bore wells, or there must be an ability to funnel the water away through clear tertiary drainage systems to the larger drainage systems."

A total of 859.9 km length of primary and secondary drains serves BBMP area

However, Mahesh said nothing is likely to change this monsoon.

"It's likely to be the same as usual because they haven't done anything different," he explained. "Flooding occurs mainly because we channel water to low-lying areas. Our drainage system needs a rethink; instead of just transporting water, we should have soak pits along drains every 50-100 meters to recharge groundwater. Also, the presence of wires and pipes under footpaths leads to blockages."

Rainwater harvesting

Urban mobility activist RK Misra, who works with the state government, pinpointed the causes of flooding in Bengaluru.

"The city faces flooding primarily due to shoddy desilting by BBMP, which assumes there won't be any rain. Contractors do rushed clean-ups at the last minute, making them ineffective," Misra said.

He said the high-density corridor project, covering eight of 12 major arterial roads, will have about 10,000 rainwater harvesting pits. However, this project will likely be completed after the monsoon.

"We're mandating 10,000 rainwater harvesting pits every 15 metres under the footpath... Silt trap pits at the mouth of the shoulder drain will ensure silt doesn’t enter the drain and flooding is controlled to a large extent, around 60-70 percent flood control. We plan to complete the high-density corridor project by September 2024," he said.

Brand takes hit

While deputy chief minister and Bengaluru development minister DK Shivakumar has been campaigning for 'Brand Bengaluru' to attract global investors to India’s Silicon Valley, little work seems to have been done on the ground, especially since April, when the national parliamentary elections started.

BBMP officials were entrusted with Lok Sabha poll duties, while Shivakumar was busy campaigning for the 28 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka, which were held in two phases - South Karnataka including Bengaluru on April 26, and North Karnataka on May 7. The Model Code of Conduct is in place till the first week of June, when the seven-phase elections conclude.

Also, read: Brand Bengaluru: 70,000 suggestions from citizens; ball in Karnataka govt's court

Pai said Bengaluru is facing stiff competition from other cities.

"Cities like Hyderabad have better infrastructure, more office space, and more hiring in the tech sector, so the Karnataka government cannot afford to be delusional. Bengaluru is a great city, but they should strive to make it even better by investing in infrastructure improvement," Pai said.

Mahesh said if the core issues of the city are not addressed, its brand will not remain strong. He cited the example of Microsoft, which recently acquired 48 acres of land in Hyderabad.

"Over time, poor infrastructure is reducing the competitiveness of the city. Cities like Hyderabad, Pune, and Chennai are also becoming more cosmopolitan. Ultimately, people want a reasonable quality of life," said Mahesh.

He said weather cannot be a permanent advantage for Bengaluru.

"If the Tamil Nadu government decides to build infrastructure in Hosur (near Bengaluru) or a little further to Sarjapur, infrastructure can be developed in those new areas now,” he said.

Also, read: 'Shocking that Karnataka lost out to Tamil Nadu in landing investments from Ather, Ola'

Pai said Bengaluru deserves better, considering that Karnataka is one of the largest contributors to income tax, GST, and corporate taxes.

"While the Karnataka government often accuses the Central government of not providing enough financial support, what is the state government doing for Bengaluru? The government should invest in Bengaluru to address challenges like traffic and flooding and make it a walkable city. With debris and garbage littering the pavements, people cannot even walk," he said.

No civic polls

Srinivas Alavilli, a civic activist, said the absence of corporators creates major gaps in local administration. The citizens can take their grievances only to MLAs.

"People don't have the same access to MLAs compared to corporators. Ward representatives have a better understanding of their areas, unlike MLAs or MPs. They represent the grassroots society of the city, identifying issues like potholes and flooding and working with local municipal engineers who may often be new to the place due to frequent transfers," he said.

Pai said the BBMP elections are not being held due to the lack of interest from the state government.

"The absence of BBMP elections makes MLAs more powerful. Governance in Bengaluru has devolved into a money-driven affair. With the absence of corporators, MLAs are benefiting but they are not interested in the betterment of the city," Pai said.