Is Bengaluru Prepared For Monsoons? NHAI Lags On Waterlogging, BBMP Gets Seven-Day Deadline For Pothole Repairs

Three months after instructions were issued to address the problem of waterlogging and flooding at 28 sites in the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) limits, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has managed to draw up plans for just four sites.

This prompted criticism at a high-profile review meeting conducted on Friday (23 May), according to the Times of India report.

With pre-monsoon rains already causing flooding in some areas of the city, Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh directed NHAI officials to act immediately in this regard.

During the review, it was found that some of the critical civic works in the different departments are still incomplete despite previous deadlines.

The meeting went through inter-departmental progress on road restoration, stormwater drain replacement, and removal of encroachments from footpaths.

Most of these are significantly behind schedule, and that has sparked doubts about the city's preparedness to weather the entire monsoon season.

On 15 May, 647 potholes were spotted by the joint commissioner of traffic in Bengaluru. The Chief Secretary, in response, directed the BBMP to fix the problems within seven days from the disaster management fund.

Furthermore, the Chief Secretary directed the Additional Chief Secretary (Urban Development) to initiate disciplinary action against the staff or officials of the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) for their failure to solve the drainage issues.

These unresolved problems have been linked to recurrent flooding during rain in the low-lying parts of the city.

The delay in execution by agencies such as NHAI and BWSSB, even after repeated directives, has left Bengaluru’s civic infrastructure vulnerable just weeks before the onset of the southwest monsoon.

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