Is Bangalore going the Mumbai way?

FLOOD FURY - Is Bangalore going the Mumbai way?

Hindustan Times

REMEMBER WHAT happened to Mumbai during the 26/7 deluge? Bangalore too could be heading in that direction. South Bangalore, under water after four days of heavy rains, has once again highlighted what havoc can poor planning wreak in a metropolis.

"Twenty years ago there used to be 267 tanks that would hold rain water. But today there are only 74. Where have the rest gone?" asked a retired bureaucrat.

Housing and industrial plots for IT companies is the answer. As the IT fever caught on, these tanks were converted into glitzy multi-storeyed towers. In the rush to build new workspots and homes, little attention was paid to installing an effective drainage system, which has resulted in the present flooding.

With rains continuing to lash the city, the state government was forced to declare a two-day holiday for schools and colleges. Five people were drowned while trying to escape floodwaters.

With the rains threatening the state's IT show "Bangalore IT.in" commencing from Wednesday, state IT secretary Shankarlinga Gowda put up a brave front. "We'll get the convention going."