Rain woes: B'luru residents are prepared for worse, thanks to BBMP

Sowmya Raju and Chandra Prabhu

Bengaluru: Bengaluru this year is facing a late Northeastmonsoon, and although the heavy spells of rain in the past couple of days have not caused severe waterlogging in most parts of the city, the residents of low-lying areas are already prepared for the worst.

In a city like Bengaluru, where flooding and waterlogging during monsoons are not new, most citizens who rely on daily wages and hail from economically disadvantaged backgrounds have accepted their fate.

Many are not even aware that there might be a solution to their situation. When News Trail spoke to Ramanna, a construction worker who lives in an asbestos hut all his life at KR Puram, said it was evident that he and his family have resigned themselves to this way of life.

They consider it their regular duty to protect their belongings from the flood every monsoon. As the North East Monsoon clouds gather over Bengaluru, the city's residents prepare for the annual ritual of navigating waterlogged streets, damaged property, and disrupted lives.

Soori, a resident of a slum in Halasuru who has lived there for more than four decades said has seen monsoons where roads were completely waterlogged.

He added, “Last year was terrible for us. Although authorities have promised to fix the situation, we cannot rely on them, so we are prepared for the worst.”

In recent years the marginalised communities residing in low-lying areas bear the brunt of nature's fury.

The cycle of acceptance

Daily wage earners, slum dwellers, and economically disadvantaged families have, over time, come to accept their fate.

A long-time resident at Sai Layout, Mahadevapura complained about water logging in her building every year. Lakshmi, a domestic worker who lived on the first floor of an asbestos ceiling, shared her observation, where water entered the ground floor house.

When questioned about what the authorities have done in the decade she lived there, it was clear that she was unaware that a government body existed that could help her.

While most residents diligently protect their few possessions when the rains arrive, the notion that a more permanent solution exists eludes them. In Shivajinagar, residents like Arshya, Dilshad, and Sohail faced water entering their homes due to heavy showers on Monday.

Their 60-year-old house saw about one foot of water inside their house, despite having a floodgate. Additionally, water from taller buildings cascaded onto their roofs, exacerbating the issue.

This predicament has become a significant problem for them. Noushad, a fruit seller in Shivaji Nagar, shared similar concerns, as areas adjacent to the rajakaluve are susceptible to waterlogging, causing houses to be flooded.