Heavy rains in Bengaluru once again left the city residents in a sorry state. And it seems despite the major flooding in the city last week, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and the BBMP are yet to wake up to the plight of the city and its dwellers.
The residents of Silicon Valley of India had to wade through waist-deep water and many cars were left stranded. Pedestrians who accidentally stepped into a big hidden pothole underneath the logged water were seen crying for help, few even would have broken their limbs.
But, there is no way to go to the hospital because the roads were blocked by overwhelming tides of dirty water and the traffic creating giving an illusion of a serpent that was gradually tightening its grip on the city.
If you managed to reach home at any point of the night yesterday, remember there were not many who were as lucky. Log on to the social media platforms and you could see horrifying images of cars, window-deep in water. Interestingly, neither police patrol cars nor tow vehicles could be seen anywhere in the vicinity, trying to manage the traffic and the break-downs.
Evidently, the people were left alone to deal with their own plights. And they did. In other words, it seemed as if the entire administration had given up on themselves.
#bangalorerains majestic at 9 PM tonight!!!! pic.twitter.com/KxOTjdfkYx
— mukkampostbangalore (@mpbblr) August 23, 2017All the cars in basement parking rest in peace. #bangalorerains #Koramangala pic.twitter.com/63Ydu6UGmM
— rahul agarwal (@rahul67) August 15, 2017Need help in Doddenekundi area. Vehicles submerged in #bangalorerains pic.twitter.com/qFgmR7yhre
— Lijo Isac (@lijoisac) August 23, 2017#Bangalore #bangalorerains some where in Koramangala :( so not cool pic.twitter.com/PtoYylNCTh
— Priyangka Mahanta (@priyangkam) August 15, 2017I was stuck in traffic 8 hrs ago, apparently I am stuck at the same place right now. #Bangalorerains
— E (@MrsElfyeree) August 24, 2017GoK's shody job cripples #Bengaluru! Don't pocket public money in name of development! We want solutions not negligence! #BengaluruRains pic.twitter.com/zTZWQUFv2f
— United Bengaluru (@unitedbengaluru) August 15, 2017
BBMP, concentrate on the existing roads, plan 'bigger' projects later
According to a report by the Bangalore Mirror, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike is planning to widen the Sarjapur Road. Citizens are up against the project, but the civic body is still going to go ahead with the plan. While that rakes up a different issue of forced acquisition, our question is: Why not concentrate on repairing Bengaluru roads and the sewerage system before beginning new project?
Aren't you losing precious time and money on the unforeseen while ignoring the one's that already need your attention?
Dear CM, it's high time that you intervened! It's high time you get down from your car and dealt with the monsoon mud like the people of Bengaluru do every day during the monsoon.
Get stuck somewhere in waist deep water and see how helpless it feels. See how it feels when you are inundated in darkness the entire night due to power cuts during monsoon. Get your children and grandchildren to study under the light of the lamp in knee deep water and see how it feels.