Infrastructure

Bengaluru's flooding story often circles around its age-old stormwater drainage system conflicting with rapid urbanisation. The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has been actively utilising data from flood alert systems, but only for rescue and evacuation, and not for mapping flood patterns or preventing floods. Also, though the data is publicly accessible, little is being done to create public awareness about it.  “I was stuck in a traffic jam three kilometres away from my office in Manyata Tech Park when I got an office alert about inundation there. If only flooding information was timely and accessible, it would save so…

Following the disastrous deluge that hit Mumbai on July 26, 2005 and claimed 419 lives, the state introduced several measures to prevent such flooding in the future in Mumbai. The Chitale Committee, which was commissioned to find solutions for flooding in Mumbai recommended a series of measures, such as improving Mumbai’s hydrological planning to help the city’s rivers find their way into the sea and prevent them from overflowing into the city and endangering lives during the heavy Mumbai monsoons.  While this exercise mostly called for rejuvenating the rivers, one of the first moves by the authorities involved building retaining…

Meenakshi (name changed), migrated from Tamil Nadu to Bengaluru 18 years ago and now lives in a steel shed in Laggere. During rains, she collects the water leaking through her roof in pots to prevent flooding in the house. The situation is the same with almost all of her neighbours.  “I used to cover the roof with tarpaulins but they wear off soon. And I can’t afford to change them often,” Meenakshi said. She complained that the shed gets unbearably hot during summers and chilly during rains. “I spend most days of summer outside the house as it would be…

Bengaluru’s floods keep getting worse each year. Even before the monsoons arrived, the city was already submerged this year, raising serious questions about mitigation measures. While the state government continues to toot horns about more construction projects, like elevated corridors, tunnels and flyovers, basic storm water drain (SWD) infrastructure remains inadequate and incomplete, leading to urban flooding. For 2024-25, the Karnataka government has allocated ₹2,000 crore to the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) under the ‘Karnataka Water Security and Disaster Resilience Initiative.’ In a press release dated May 17, 2025, BBMP had identified 209 flood-prone areas in Bengaluru, with mitigation…

‘We don’t want white-topped roads, as they increase waterlogging and don't allow water to percolate’ is a common sentiment among many Bengalureans. While drawing more and more water from Cauvery river, Bengaluru is doing little to recharge its groundwater. With the city extracting 100% of its groundwater, citizens don't get water even after drilling down to 1,800 feet. Yet BBMP is white-topping our roads over the existing asphalt, without structures like rain gardens or bioswales to capture stormwater. But are Bengalureans right in believing that white-topping worsens flooding? The answer is complicated. Do white-topped roads hinder water recharge? Hearing a…

From the Western Expressway Highway if you turn left, you start to see mangroves beyond which lies the Mithi river. Go further towards the Kala Killa bus depot at Dharavi, and you will see a green fence beyond which lies an urban forest. This is the Maharashtra Nature Park that the Maharashtra Regional Development Authority (MMRDA) built with the support of the NGO World Wide Fund for Nature India, starting from 1983. Architect Shriya Bhatia cites this as an example of blue green infrastructure (BGI). Built on a former garbage dumping ground, the park houses indigenous plant varieties and an…

Concerns about the quality of housing and basic amenities in Tamil Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board (TNUHDB) tenements have reached a tipping point. Resettled families, relocated due to natural disasters, continue to face persistent issues such as frequent flooding, dilapidated infrastructure, and a lack of essential services. Residents are grappling with the daily challenges of damp walls, crumbling ceilings, non-functional lifts, and poorly lit streets, making them feel fearful and uncertain. The tragic death of a 60-year-old man in an elevator shaft at the KP Park tenement is a stark reminder of the existing safety hazards. Meanwhile, the government continues…

In mid-February, the Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) submitted the revised Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the Airport-Kilambakkam metro project to the Tamil Nadu government. “The DPR proposes the construction of the elevated corridor in the first level and the metro corridor in the next level. It was prepared as per the suggestions of the State’s Highways Department,” M A Siddique, Managing Director, CMRL, told Citizen Matters Chennai.  Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu, while presenting the state budget on March 14th, said the DPR would be forwarded to the union government. Estimated to cost Rs 9,335 crore, the metro line is among…

Bengaluru, a city known for its vibrant streets and rapid urban growth, struggles with a critical yet overlooked issue: safe and accessible pedestrian infrastructure. Footpaths, meant to provide safe passage for walkers, are often riddled with obstacles, forcing people to step onto busy roads and risk their safety. Arun Pai, the founder of BangaloreWALKS, brought together a group of citizens of Bengaluru to participate in a Footpath Challenge, an initiative aimed at documenting and addressing footpath-related hazards and showing how citizen action can create civic change. We walked 15-kilometres from Singayyanapalya Metro Station to Kadugodi Tree Park, documenting every obstruction…

The recent hike in Namma Metro fares, announced by the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL), has evoked strong reactions from commuters. This analysis delves into the policies and decisions of both the Union and State governments over the past 12 years, drawing on documents available in the public domain and information obtained through RTI. An analysis of these documents suggests that all the three concerned authorities, namely the Government of India (GoI), Government of Karnataka (GoK) and BMRCL, must take their share of responsibility for the stiff increase in fares. Some of the decisions indicate that the metro has…