Reports of CEOs being forced to commute in tractors is no joke. While the situation may have reached a crisis point this year, urban flooding has been an issue in Bengaluru and many Indian cities. At the core of the problem is poor urban planning, poor maintenance of infrastructure and poor governance. Bengaluru 2022 must serve as a warning – of the need to equip cities, towns and habitations to live with climate change and its impacts.
The impacts of climate change – during June 1-August 31, rainfall in Bengaluru was 60% in excess of the long-period average – are exacerbated by poor urban planning. Bengaluru’s growth is marked by large-scale encroachment of lakes and drains adversely impacting natural drainage systems.
Increase in built-up spaces and loss in interconnectivity between water bodies affect groundwater recharging. This is compounded by the lack of a robust policy governing storm-water management due to mismatch in plans of drains by the city’s two urban bodies. There is also poor waste management and debris removal affecting the capacity to drain off excess water.
Bengaluru, and other cities, are impacted by the twin problem of flooding and depletion of groundwater. Both problems will be compounded by climate change. The current situation demonstrates the failure to recognise storm water as a critical resource worthy of conservation.