Wednesday, 21 May 2025
Wednesday, 21 May 2025
Incessant rainfall has wreaked havoc in Bengaluru.
Needless to say, massive waterlogging and flooding have posed grave problems for the city dwellers.
Not just the residents, the bigwigs in the political circuit are overwhelmed, too. Some leaders have made high-profile visits to flood-hit areas while locals are vehemently voicing their growing frustration.
Taking charge as chief minister of the state, Siddaramaiah was quick to head to the Integrated Command and Control Centre at the BBMP head office to review the damage and stressed on the fact that he had been instructing BBMP officials about encroachments, accumulation of silt and shallow depth of stormwater drains. "BBMP officials have been instructed to take up remodelling and desilting of clogged drains," he said.
Karnataka home minister G Parameshwara said Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) officials were working on the ground to clear rainwater. “This happens with the first rains, leaves, flowers and even plastic items clogging the drains. BBMP must act quickly to clear it,” he said while responding to criticism.
BJP MLA Sunil Kumar Karkala lashed out at Siddaramaiah and deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar. “Bengaluru is drowning, and the govt is celebrating. What’s there to celebrate when you’ve murdered the city’s infrastructure?” he asked.
BJP’s Ashwath Narayan said the rain didn’t just expose the city’s infrastructure, but Shivakumar’s “two years of doing nothing”. “Crores spent. Zero results. Broken roads. Overflowing drains. Lives disrupted,” he wrote.
BJP leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, R Ashoka, said, “The Congress keeps calling it ‘Great Bengaluru’ and ‘Brand Bengaluru’, but it has now become ‘Bad Bengaluru’. Five people have died in the city today, and it’s shameful that the Congress is busy holding a rally during such a crisis.”
DK Shivakumar, meanwhile, responded with a post on X, saying he was “deeply concerned” and monitoring the situation by being in constant touch with the officials. “I will visit the BBMP War Room and flood-affected areas personally,” he said.
Acknowledging the citizens' frustration, Shivakumar added, “These issues are not new. They’ve been ignored for years across governments. The only difference now is, we are working to solve them. Not with temporary fixes, but long-term, sustainable solutions.”
“To my fellow Bengalureans, I am one among you. I share your frustration, and I assure you of my commitment,” he added.
Union minister HD Kumaraswamy on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on the Karnataka government, accusing it of "gross negligence" as Bengaluru reels under incessant rains.
In a statement, he said, "While people are dying and struggling to survive, Congress leaders are busy hosting a Sadhana Samavesha (achievement convention). For the past week, the focus has been on colourful, guarantee-filled advertisements instead of real governance."
Kumaraswamy stated that Bengaluru’s citizens are living in what he called a “branded hell,” adding that the city is suffering while its leaders are obsessed with publicity campaigns.
"The real achievements of the Congress government are now floating in the city’s flooded roads and clogged drains. Do they even have a conscience? Organising a Sadhana Samavesha for a dead government is nothing short of shameful," he added.
The weather in Bengaluru is expected to remain the same, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing an orange alert for the city and yellow alert for several areas across Karnataka.
The prediction for rain remains consistent throughout the weather office's weekly forecast.
The IMD also said that an upper air cyclonic circulation is likely to form around May 21 over the east-central Arabian Sea off the Karnataka coast.
A low-pressure area will likely form over the same region around May 22 and likely to move northwards and intensify further.
About 150 people were rescued and shifted to safe locations on Monday, authorities said.
(With inputs from agencies)
