Bengaluru rains: Heavy downpour leads to flood-like situation in India's IT hub, Twitterati react

New Delhi: Heavy downpours over the last few days have led to a flood-like situation in Karnataka's capital Bengaluru. Torrential rains continued to lash the country's IT hub on Monday (September 5) with various streets waterlogged, and houses and vehicles partially inundated. Netizens, meanwhile, flooded social media with pictures and videos of office goers and school children using boats and tractors to cross the streets submerged in water. Various members of the Twitterati also took potshots at the authorities and questioned them about the current situation in Yemalur, Rainbow Drive layout, Sunny Brooks Layout, Marathahalli, and several other areas. 

"State of affairs in #BengaluruAirport today. I feel like crying seeing the state of infra in India. This is beyond shame," a Twitter user said while sharing a video of a water-logged city airport.

State of affairs in #BengaluruAirport today. I feel like crying seeing the state of infra in India. This is beyond shame. #bengalururains pic.twitter.com/bJZWgY81dl — Anirban Sanyal (@anirban_sanyal) September 4, 2022

"Who needs a wonderla, a water amusement park when entire #bangalore can we be water park! Thanks for #bbmp , it takes lot of efforts and dedication to turn a city into a floating city!" another Twitter user said.

Who needs a wonderla , a water amusement park when entire #bangalore can we be water park!
Thanks for #bbmp , it takes lot of efforts and dedication to turn a city into a floating city!#bangalorerains pic.twitter.com/fUMuPyNANh

— anonymous! (@Died_Democracy) September 5, 2022

A Twitterati also shared a video of people crossing a waterlogged path in a JCB and joked, "Bengaluru innovation Hub for a reason."

#bengaluru innovation Hub for a reason #bengalururains #monsoon #BBMP #BellandurFloods #Bangalore pic.twitter.com/GTQs8HvSKt — Govind Kumar (@hey__goku) September 5, 2022

Taking a jibe at Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, some Twitter users also "thanked" him for turning the city to "European Standards". 

Thank you @CMofKarnataka @BSBommai you have developed our city to European Standards.

Now Indiranagar has started to look like Venice.

Please increase your corruption from 50% to 100% we will then be Venice for 365 days. Now this pleasure is only short lived#bengalururains pic.twitter.com/WXwVq15oBk — Kamran (@CitizenKamran) August 29, 2022

#bengalururains

The flyover (as we say) is cut off. What a plight for the working class who need to go to work (can't really have that WFH option).
What a bloody joke of taxpayers' money.

Location: Marathahalli Flyover
Time: 6:50 A.M. (Today) pic.twitter.com/nWFYZu1GRF — Rishi Bhattacharjee (@rishi0308) September 5, 2022

Welcome to our very own #Venice.
This is Rainbow Drive Layout, on Sarjapur Road.#BengaluruRains pic.twitter.com/KQ04L2pvxn — Prashant Sachan (@prashantsachan) August 30, 2022

Lifetime experience it was
Ab me bhi garv se bolungi... Nadi paar karke office jaati thi #bellandur #bangalorerain #bengalururains #bangaloretraffic pic.twitter.com/TQKHiYAQUE — Archana Panigrahi (@chana_pani) August 30, 2022

Many Internet users were also filled with angst and blamed "massive deforestation" and road heights going up "illegally" with "illegal" high rises.

Some also said that the only solution now is to "reclaim all lakes" and "remove encroachments".

Basavaraj Bommai-led Karnataka govt releases Rs 300 crore to deal with situation

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Monday said that a decision has been made to release Rs 300 crore to deal with the current rain situation as well as the maintenance of basic infrastructure in Bengaluru.

Speaking to the media after a meeting with deputy commissioners of 15 districts, Bangalore Water Supply & Sewerage Board, and senior officials in regard to rain and floods in the state, he said that the government has taken a decision to release Rs 600 crore for the management of floods in Bengaluru and other districts especially roads, bridges, electric poles, transformers, and school building repairs. 

"Bengaluru City alone was given Rs 300 crore and the DCs' have Rs 664 crore with them and Rs 500 crore has been released to provide infrastructure," a press note from the CM's office said.

Bommai also said that a central team to study the rains and flood situation in Karnataka will arrive in Bengaluru on Tuesday night. 

"A memorandum will be submitted in regard to the existing damages caused by rains and floods. After visiting the flood-hit districts, the government will hold a meeting with the team members," the press note read.