Bengaluru: Urban flooding in the state capital is set to remain a recurring nightmare unless urgent corrective steps are taken. According to geologists, unrestrained construction, especially the rise in high-rise buildings, has created a 30 to 40-foot-thick underground concrete slab across the city — severely obstructing rainwater absorption.
Experts say this impervious layer of concrete, developed over the last decade, is not only blocking percolation but also distorting Bengaluru’s natural terrain. The issue stems largely from multi-storeyed buildings with deep foundations and multiple levels of basement parking, which behave like artificial dams during rainfall.
Sajeev Krishnan, professor at the Indian Institute of Science’s Earth Sciences department, emphasized that Bengaluru, situated about 1,000 metres above sea level on the Deccan Plateau, is undergoing rapid topographic change. He called for an urgent remapping of the city’s elevation levels, noting that outdated topographical data no longer reflects the current reality.
Adding to the concern, retired Bangalore University geology professor TJ Renuka Prasad highlighted how unplanned growth and over-reliance on concrete-based infrastructure have harmed natural groundwater systems. The underground slab is not only blocking aquifer recharge but also damaging natural earth fractures — a consequence he termed irreversible.
Experts agree that unless sustainable urban planning and construction practices are adopted, Bengaluru will continue to suffer from severe waterlogging and long-term ecological imbalance.
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