Navigating floods in Bengaluru: A natural way forward

Urban flooding has become a persistent and growing challenge in Indian cities, with Bengaluru experiencing increasingly frequent and disruptive flood events.

- 

In 2024, Bengaluru faced severe floods with over 2,000 homes submerged citywide. Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike(BBMP) reported that 157 mm of rainfall was recorded in the Yelahanka area within six hours, resulting in the flooding of over 1,030 homes. Heavy rainfall led to widespread waterlogging and traffic congestion, severely affecting daily mobility and resulting in temporary road closures across the city. While climate change and erratic monsoons are contributing factors, the underlying issues stem from longstanding systemic gaps in planning, land use, and infrastructure management.

Historically, urban planning in Bengaluru and other cities across India has emphasised on the quick removal of stormwater from city limits. Since the drinking water sources to the cities are outside the metropolitan area, urban development strategies prioritised efficient stormwater drainage rather than local water retention or recharge. This led to extensive concretisation of stormwater drains and a planning paradigm that viewed rainwater as a problem to be expelled rather than a resource to be managed. Over time, unplanned urban expansion and weak enforcement mechanisms allowed for the encroachment of water bodies and stormwater channels by both private and government actors. Additionally, the disposal of liquid and solid waste has significantly reduced the natural water-holding capacity of the stormwater drains and water bodies, thereby increasing the vulnerability to flooding.