Before tech hubs and high-rises overtook Bengaluru’s landscape, the city thrived with a water-smart drainage system aligned with its natural geography. Originating under the Wodeyar kings and enhanced during colonial rule, this eco-sensitive approach used interconnected reservoirs and open stormwater channels called rajakaluves to direct rainwater across three major valleys—Hebbal, Vrishabhavathi, and Koramangala-Challaghatta.
“This system worked in sync with the terrain,” said Sandeep Anirudhan from the Coalition for Water Security. “It allowed overflow from one lake to feed another, preventing flooding and sustaining water levels throughout the year.”
The network of tanks and drains once absorbed excess rainfall and replenished groundwater. But now, under layers of asphalt and unchecked construction, this once-efficient system is crumbling. With real estate rapidly swallowing wetlands and catchment areas, water has nowhere to go.
Today, both luxury apartments and low-income neighborhoods are equally vulnerable to urban floods. Many areas now sit on what used to be natural sinks—drainage paths blocked by buildings, roads, and flyovers.
“Older areas in South Bengaluru like JP Nagar and Basavanagudi still perform better during rains,” experts note, “because they retain more of their original topography.”
Research by IISc scientist T.V. Ramachandra reveals the grim stats: 79% of lakes lost, vegetation down by 88%, and an over 1,000% surge in built-up spaces.
Reviving Bengaluru’s hydrological wisdom isn’t a choice—it’s the only way forward.
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