Bengaluru’s flood paradox: Residents report no waterlogging while social media shows drenching visuals

The recent rains have led to varied flooding experiences in Bengaluru, with tech hubs facing severe waterlogging while some areas report minimal impact.

As heavy rains continue to batter Bengaluru, stark contrasts in flooding experiences across the city have sparked lively discussions on social media. While many areas, especially tech hubs like Manyata Tech Park, are grappling with severe waterlogging, residents in neighbourhoods like Basavanagudi and Indiranagar report minimal to no impact from the deluge.

Residents share differing experiences of flooding on social media, with many in older parts of Bengaluru celebrating minimal disruption. (ANI)

One resident from the Basavanagudi Vidyapeeta region took to social media to share, “Not a single road is flooded in Basavanagudi Vidyapeeta region. Old Bengaluru region is always the best !!!” This sentiment resonated with several others who echoed similar experiences, highlighting how well their neighbourhoods have fared during the relentless downpour.

In another post, an Indiranagar resident remarked, “Indiranagar is privileged: It’s been raining all day and yet zero water logging across our house in Indiranagar.” This observation comes as videos circulate online showing feet of water accumulating in parts of the city, particularly in tech-centric areas where infrastructure is struggling to cope with the rainfall.

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“Not just indiranagar, 80% of the actual Bengaluru experiences no significant water logging. It is only in the east Bengaluru and some parts of hebbal,” another social media user remarked.

“Jayanagar is also the same. We've just been sitting in our cozy homes, and watching the rain fall all day. No issues from the rain or anything,” a resident wrote.

“Flooding is not really an issue in most of the older parts of Bengaluru. I live near Vijayanagar and not once have we had this problem. East Bengaluru used to be a swampland with a lot of lakes. Everything has been encroached to build up the city with zero planning,” another reply stated.

This disparity in flooding has ignited a debate about urban planning and infrastructure maintenance in Bengaluru. Many users are questioning the effectiveness of drainage systems and the management of water resources, emphasizing the need for equitable development across all neighbourhoods.

While some residents celebrate their luck amidst the chaos, others express frustration over the apparent neglect of certain areas that seem to bear the brunt of the city’s infrastructural shortcomings. “The problem is too many big big buildings with high population density and encroachment in big roads,” one user commented.

“Old bengaluru gets proper bbmp support, nice roads, well maintained gardens. Mahadevpura - Cash cow of city - mostly villages transformed into high cost apartments- bbmp mostly absent, no city planning,” another comment said.