The recent spell of downpour in Bengaluru have highlighted concerns over the city’s monsoon preparedness, drawing widespread criticism and discontent among residents. Issues such as poor de-silting of stormwater drains, delay in removal of encroachments, improper garbage disposal, delay in pruning tree branches, and deficient drainage system in low-lying areas and underpasses have once again come into focus.

With monsoon merely two weeks away, the impact of pre-monsoon showers cast doubt on the city’s readiness to cope with heavy rainfall.

Sources said most officials of Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), the civic body responsible for maintaining the city, claims to have been occupied with Assembly election duties for the past two months. The city had no elected civic council for the past two-and-a-half years.

“The new government should prioritise civic polls without any further delays. Positive changes occur when citizens exert pressure. Citizens can actively participate in ward committees to address and rectify their local issues. Moreover, BBMP should urgently conduct a comprehensive risk assessment survey to identify vulnerable areas and swiftly resolve these issues before the onset of the monsoon season,” civic activist Srinivas Alavilli said.

Bengaluru receives 2.5cm rain Heavy rain on Tuesday night led to water-logging in low-lying areas, including BTM Layout and Sanjay Nagar. The Meteorological department reported a rainfall of 2.5cm in the past 24 hours in Bengaluru, with the downpour expected to continue until May 29.

According to the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre, areas like JP Nagar, Bilekahalli, Kengeri, Kodigehalli, Kumaraswamy Layout, Rajarajeshwari Nagar, Konanakunte, Bommanahalli, Nayandahalli, Uttarahalli, Yeshwanthpur, and Byatarayanapura received heavy rains on Tuesday night.

The heavy shower felled numerous trees and caused major traffic disruptions on Tuesday night, impacting commuters, particularly office-goers returning home from work and also those traveling to the Kempegowda International Airport. Water-logging was reported in underpasses at Shivananda Circle and Okalipuram on Tuesday night, as well as on areas like Bannerghatta Road and Hebbal.

The aftermath of the rainfall continued to affect traffic on Wednesday in places like Lalbagh and JP Nagar, where fallen trees from the previous night caused delays. The city has already lost more than 100 trees since Saturday due to heavy rains.

“Traffic is moving slowly due to a fallen tree at Lalbagh west gate towards Minarva Circle,” a traffic police advisory said on Wednesday. “A tree has fallen on the road leading from the Puttenahalli underpass towards Dalmiya Junction on the JP Nagar Outer Ring Road. Commuters are advised to use an alternate route,” said another advisory.

On May 21, a 31-year-old man named Lokesh, who worked as a housekeeping staff in a private firm, drowned in a stormwater drain. Despite residents’ warnings about the danger, he attempted to gauge the water’s depth, slipped, and drowned. His body was found later in another drain in Byatarayanapura, around 12 km away from his residence in KP Agrahara. In another incident same day an Infosys employee dies while traveling in a car that got stuck in flooded water at an underpass in KR Circle near Vidhana Soudha. The incident led to a public outrage.

BBMP chief commissioner Tushar Girinath said the civic body has initiated an audit to assess the condition of all 53 underpasses, including 18 railway underpasses. On Tuesday night, the traffic police also set up barricades at underpasses in KR Circle, Le Meridien, and Cauvery Junction, with sign boards indicating the prohibition of vehicular traffic.

On May 23, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that 52 deaths were reported across the state due to pre-monsoon rains. He informed reporters that 331 livestock were lost, crops were damaged in 20,000 hectares, and 814 houses were affected by the heavy rainfall.

“Instructions have been issued to officials to close water-logged underpasses during rain, desilt drains, and remove encroachments from rajakaluves (stormwater drains) to prevent flooding” said Siddaramaiah.

The National Disaster Management Authority also sent out SMS alerts to many residents regarding the heavy rain. Residents in places like HSR Layout and BTM Layout reported power cuts, while office-goers appealed for work-from-home arrangements until the weather conditions normalizes.