Bengaluru rains expose weak infra; Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw suggests innovative solution

As Bengaluru grapples with severe infrastructure challenges following heavy rainfall, residents are finding themselves displaced from flooded homes, forced to seek temporary shelter in safe zones. The relentless downpours have left roads submerged, turning key streets into what resemble swimming pools. Some residents, attempting to navigate these flooded areas, have even resorted to using thermocol boards to wade through knee-high water.

Also Read: Watch: Anguished commuters abandon vehicles, walk home in Bengaluru rains

Though the rains have temporarily subsided, the challenges remain daunting for the city, with disrupted transportation and damaged property across several neighborhoods. Amid the crisis, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Chairperson of Biocon Limited, has called attention to a potential solution that has successfully been implemented in Bengaluru’s Electronics City. 

When we have ELCITA I don’t understand why we use substandard contractors in high density traffic zones ⁦@PriyankKharge⁩ pic.twitter.com/rqGqidJIbg

— Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw (@kiranshaw)

When we have ELCITA I don’t understand why we use substandard contractors in high density traffic zones ⁦@PriyankKharge⁩ pic.twitter.com/rqGqidJIbg

— Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw (@kiranshaw) October 25, 2024

">October 25, 2024

Mazumdar-Shaw took to social media, advocating for the Bengaluru Bruhat Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to adopt a more scientific approach to urban planning, drawing inspiration from the Electronics City Industrial Township Authority (ELCITA). She wrote, “ELCITA designs roads scientifically, and BBMP engineers need to adopt this.” Electronics City, known as the tech and industrial hub of Bengaluru, benefits from an advanced infrastructure model, which includes regularly maintained clean drains, an efficient drainage system, and 75 rainwater harvesting pits. As a result, the area has managed to remain largely unaffected by the flooding that has plagued the rest of the city.

The proposal has spurred public discussions on the need for a sustainable urban planning strategy, especially as Bengaluru faces recurring monsoon challenges.