Bengaluru’s civic body has been tasked with addressing flood-related issues at 44 remaining hotspots across the city, following directions from Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Chief Commissioner Maheshwar Rao.
At a high-level meeting held on Monday, Rao urged officials to act swiftly on both temporary and permanent measures to tackle urban flooding before the monsoon intensifies. Out of 210 flood-prone locations previously identified by the BBMP, solutions have been implemented in 166. However, the remaining 44 areas continue to face waterlogging, prompting Rao to push for immediate intervention. Emphasising the importance of stormwater drain maintenance, he instructed officials to regularly remove silt and ensure unblocked water flow to prevent street and residential flooding. “At places where stormwater drains lack concrete walls, measures must be taken to avoid overflow,” Rao stated. He also cited reports from police highlighting persistent waterlogging points on major roads and called for urgent steps to resolve the same.
Rao stressed the need for better coordination across departments to clean side drains and maintain proper gradient to allow natural drainage. Footpaths, he added, must be kept free from obstructions to ensure pedestrian safety, and necessary repairs should be completed without delay. The Chief Commissioner also reviewed lake management under BBMP’s jurisdiction. Of the 183 lakes, only 13 currently have sluice gates installed. He instructed the engineering department to expedite the installation of sluice gates in remaining lakes and initiate systematic desilting operations through well-planned lake rejuvenation efforts.
The BBMP has come under pressure to improve its flood response mechanisms after repeated instances of severe waterlogging across the city during heavy rains. Monday’s directives aim to build long-term resilience and improve public infrastructure in vulnerable zones.