Bengaluru rains drown cars, owners forced to sell at half price

Heavy rains continue to wreak havoc in Bengaluru, not just by flooding roads and homes, but by severely impacting vehicle owners. Several car owners, especially those living in flood-prone apartment complexes, are being forced to sell their damaged vehicles at nearly half their original price.

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Take the case of Uday, who purchased a brand-new Boleno worth Rs 12.5 lakh. Just two months after purchase, he had to sell it for Rs 6.8 lakh after floodwaters rendered it nearly unusable. Similarly, Krishnappa, another resident, had to sell his Maruti Zen, which had only run 10,000 kilometers, for just Rs 70,000. In another case, Sunil had to part with his Honda City, originally worth Rs 18–20 lakh, for a mere Rs 7 lakh after it was submerged.

Last year, during heavy rains, Kendriya Vihar Apartments in Yelahanka saw 288 cars submerged. Most of them were later sold at drastically reduced rates. This year, similar flooding has been reported in areas like Sai Layout, Koramangala, BTM Layout, and HBR Layout. Cars parked in basements and on streets were submerged overnight.

To make matters worse, insurance companies often reject claims if the engine is damaged due to water ingress. This has left many owners with no choice but to sell their vehicles at half price or even less, absorbing huge financial losses. One individual reportedly suffered losses of up to Rs 45 lakh after three of his vehicles were damaged beyond repair.

Flood-hit residents are now expressing frustration and helplessness, unsure of how to recover their losses or prevent similar disasters in the future.