Bengaluru 18 May

BBMP Chief Commissioner M Maheshwar Rao inspected rain-affected areas and assured that permanent measures would be taken to resolve the recurring flooding issues in Sai Layout.

The outburst came as a thunderous 40 mm of rainfall till Saturday evening paralysed several parts of the City, leaving roads submerged, homes flooded and residents furious. From clogged stormwater drains to power outages, the civic response—or lack thereof—once again came under severe public scrutiny.

In areas like Sai Layout, Horamavu and NC Colony on Tannery Road, rainwater entered homes, turning daily life into a nightmare. In Jayanagar’s East End, a massive tree collapsed onto parked vehicles. Near Panathur S Cross, knee-deep water stranded vehicles, with residents like Kamesh from Balagere left pushing their cars through flooded stretches.

Speaking to press during a site visit, conducted via tractor in the waterlogged lanes of Sai Layout, Rao pointed out that the layout, developed by the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA), lies at lower elevation than the adjacent stormwater drain, causing frequent inundation. A narrow railway vent further chokes water flow.

Coordination has begun with the Railway Department to widen the vent, and a temporary jackwell with pumps will be installed by the BDA to manage floodwater.

"Sai Layout lies at a lower elevation, and the stormwater drains are overwhelmed. Temporary jackwells and pump sets will be deployed, and long-term coordination with BDA and the Railways is underway to widen the drainage vents," he explained.

A temporary sump and a dedicated pump team will also be deployed in Sai Layout, and waterlogged homes will be identified for compensation under disaster management provisions.

Further, Rao inspected rain-hit zones near Manyata Tech Park an Nagavara Junction. He instructed BBMP and Metro officials to expedite drain cleaning, cross culvert construction, and initiate a new Storm Water Drain (SWD) project involving private stakeholders.

Desilting near Thanisandra has already cleared 20 truckloads of silt, with more cleanup underway.

Sunday’s BBMP data reveals 65 complaints across eight zones of tree and branch falls—19 related to trees and 46 to broken branches. While 54 incidents were resolved by evening, 11 remained in progress, including cases in Yelahanka and the flood-hit South and East zones.

Electricity cuts were reported in parts of Bommanahalli and South Bengaluru. Traffic snarls crippled stretches like Domlur flyover, Manyata Tech Park and East End Road. The City’s traffic police sent alerts about closed roads, while the BBMP control room scrambled to clear fallen trees.

Residents of Horamavu remain sceptical.

"We’ve lived with this mess for 10 years," said Muralidhara J, a private firm employee. "I had to rent another house last year. We don’t need sympathy—we need results."

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert for City and 22 other districts in Karnataka, warning of moderate to heavy thundershowers until 22 May.