A bout of intense rainfall was enough to bring India’s tech hub, Bengaluru, to its knees on Tuesday, with streets turning into rivers, commuters wading through knee-deep water, and vehicles stalled in flood zones. The city logged an average of 42.7mm of rain, revealing once again the glaring weaknesses in its drainage system.

Among those hit was Arun Vinayak, co-founder of an energy startup, whose car was nearly swallowed by the waters. Sharing a photo of his submerged vehicle on X (formerly Twitter), he quipped:

“To work in India, your office, home, and car need to be IP67 certified.”
His tongue-in-cheek hashtags — #underwater #batteryok #engineersnotok — struck a chord with many battling the deluge.

While most areas floundered, RR Nagar zone stood out as a rare success. Despite recording a record 150mm of rain — the highest in a decade — it saw minimal flooding. Officials credited this to meticulous drain cleaning, proactive garbage clearance, and a robust flood-preparedness plan, backed by the region’s 42 interconnected lakes.

Experts say the broader city remains at risk due to haphazard development, especially around lakes and flood-prone zones. They warn that without urgent and sustained urban planning reforms, even moderate showers may continue to paralyse the city.

The downpour has reignited public frustration and once again spotlighted the price of ignoring infrastructure resilience in a growing metropolis.

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