Bengaluru’s Infrastructure Woes Exposed as School Buses Rescue Children from Flooded Streets
The city of Bengaluru, often referred to as the Silicon Valley of India, experienced another round of heavy monsoon showers on Tuesday, causing widespread disruption and highlighting the city’s ongoing infrastructure woes. The most alarming incident occurred along Balagere Main Road in Mahadevapura, where several school buses, filled with children, were stranded due to severe waterlogging. This road, notorious for flooding during the monsoon season, was the subject of promises made by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah two years ago when he vowed to resolve the area’s persistent waterlogging issues. However, the situation remains largely unchanged, leading to yet another dangerous scenario for residents and children. Bengaluru’s Infrastructure Crisis Exposed by Monsoon Flooding
As the rainwater accumulated on the low-lying Balagere Main Road, school buses from various private institutions in the neighborhood attempted to make their way through the flooded streets. Some buses broke down in the water, leaving children stranded for hours. Suresh Dhulipala, a resident of Balagere, recalled the chaotic situation that unfolded as parents and locals came together to rescue the children. “Locals called some tractor owners, and the children were pulled out of the buses and transported to their homes on the tractors,” Dhulipala explained.
The rescue operation was anything but swift. It took nearly four to five hours to safely transport the children back to their homes, with some reaching as late as 7 PM. Understandably, many children were frightened and anxious, with some even breaking down in tears. “Some kids started crying out of anxiety and fear. We appeased them by giving them water, biscuits, and some refreshments,” Dhulipala added.
The incident on Balagere Main Road is particularly poignant because of the unfulfilled promises made by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah during his visit to the area in 2022. At the time, Siddaramaiah, then the Opposition leader, visited the flood-prone neighborhood and assured residents that steps would be taken to address the chronic flooding. Despite these assurances by Bangaluru government, little has changed, and the same stretch of road remains waterlogged, even with Siddaramaiah now serving his second term as chief minister.
The residents of Balagere, particularly those in the Mahadevapura zone, have expressed growing frustration with the lack of progress. Mahadevapura is a critical area for Bengaluru, housing several IT companies and contributing significantly to the city’s economy. It is also the highest property tax-paying zone under the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP). Yet, despite its importance and wealth, the area suffers from poor infrastructure and flooding during every monsoon season.
Suresh Dhulipala, like many other residents, has been vocal about the inaction. “All that the BBMP has to do is complete the construction of the stormwater drain along the Balagere Main Road and connect it to the Varthur Lake. Unfortunately, for the past four years, nothing has moved,” he lamented. The solution, according to residents, seems straightforward, but bureaucratic delays have left them facing the same challenges year after year.
The waterlogging along Balagere Main Road is not an isolated issue but a symptom of the broader drainage problems plaguing the Mahadevapura zone. The road is a low-lying area where rainwater from surrounding neighborhoods such as Panathur and Bellandur converges. Due to the lack of an effective drainage system, water stagnates on the road, creating dangerous driving conditions and impacting residents’ daily lives.
Sangappa Desai, another Balagere resident, voiced his frustration over the disconnect between the taxes residents pay and the services they receive. “It is unfortunate that despite Mahadevapura being the highest tax-paying zone, we lack basic infrastructure,” Desai said. He further pointed out that residents are forced to spend additional money on water tankers and rainwater flushing systems for their apartments every year, as the city’s infrastructure is inadequate to handle the seasonal downpours.
While Balagere’s flooding situation captured attention, it is just one of many areas across Bengaluru struggling to cope with heavy rains. The city’s meteorological department issued an orange alert for the next few days, forecasting additional rainfall due to a depression in the Bay of Bengal. On Tuesday alone, Bengaluru recorded 37 mm of rainfall in 24 hours, with some areas seeing up to 65 mm. The downpour led to severe waterlogging and traffic congestion across the city.
In total, 142 complaints were lodged about rainwater entering homes, highlighting the widespread nature of the problem. In addition to waterlogging, the city also experienced 30 tree collapses and numerous incidents of branches falling, further exacerbating traffic issues. The worst-hit areas included Yelahanka, as well as parts of West and East Bengaluru. Other areas, including Mahadevapura, RR Nagar, Bommanahalli, and Dasarahalli, recorded moderate rains but still faced infrastructure challenges.
The incident on Balagere Main Road serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for infrastructure improvements in Bengaluru. While the city continues to expand as India’s premier tech hub, its basic infrastructure—such as drainage systems and roads—remains woefully inadequate to cope with the demands of modern urban life. The promises made by civic authorities and political leaders need to translate into action to prevent such incidents from recurring. For the residents of Mahadevapura and other affected areas, the hope is that the authorities will finally prioritize the development of essential infrastructure, ensuring safety and security during the monsoon season.
As Bengaluru braces for more rain in the coming days, residents can only hope that the lessons from this latest incident will spur the necessary changes, before the next downpour brings with it more disruptions and dangers.