Bengaluru witnessed over six hours of intense, unrelenting rainfall on the night between May 18 and 19, leading to widespread urban flooding, traffic chaos, and renewed criticism of the city's infrastructure management. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a heavy rain alert, and data from the Karnataka State Disaster Monitoring Cell showed:
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Kengeri recorded the highest rainfall at 132 mm
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Vaderahalli (North Bengaluru) followed closely at 131.5 mm
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Several other localities registered over 100 mm overnight
Social media users dubbed it the heaviest downpour of the year in the city so far.
In the aftermath, political tensions intensified:
JD(S) slams DK Shivakumar
The Janata Dal (Secular) launched a sharp attack on Deputy CM DK Shivakumar, who is also the Bengaluru Development and Town Planning Minister, calling him “unfit” for the role. In a strongly worded statement, the party alleged:
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Daily suffering of citizens due to poor drainage, flooded homes, and sewage backflow
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Roads turn into “lakes” after even minor rainfall
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Despite two years in power, the Congress government failed to fix potholes
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Bengaluru has been reduced from “Garden City to Garbage City”, blaming alleged collusion with the garbage mafia
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“Greater Bangalore” and “Brand Bangalore” were dismissed as hollow slogans, claiming that only Congressmen are benefitting
JD(S) concluded by calling the Congress’s contribution to city development “zero” and warned of damage to Bengaluru’s global reputation.
BJP weighs in
BJP MLA and former minister Sunil Kumar Karkala also slammed the Congress, saying it was busy “celebrating” while the city’s infrastructure was being “murdered.”
Industry voices call for structural reforms
Prominent industrialist Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw suggested a radical administrative shift — proposing that ELCITA (Electronics City Industrial Township Authority) should be tasked with maintaining all industrial areas in Bengaluru.
She tagged:
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BBMP (Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike)
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MB Patil, Karnataka’s Industries Minister
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Mohandas Pai, another vocal business leader
She urged that ELCITA should train BBMP officials to improve ward-level infrastructure maintenance.
Conclusion
This latest episode of flooding has re-ignited public and political outrage in a city that has long struggled with the effects of poor urban planning, unregulated construction, and civic mismanagement. As Bengaluru continues to position itself as a global tech hub, residents and industry leaders alike are demanding urgent and structural fixes — beyond blame games and party politics.
