In the late 1980s, Harish Pullanoor and his cousins would spend their weekends wading through the ponds and marshes on the eastern outskirts of the Indian metropolis of Bengaluru in search of small freshwater fish.
Bengaluru, India, was previously a peaceful city with parks, lakes, and a mild climate; but, in the 1990s, it transformed into India’s version of Silicon Valley, drawing millions of workers and housing the regional headquarters of some of the world’s largest IT businesses.
There was a cost to unchecked growth. Construction near the lakes’ edges and the elimination of green spaces reduced the city’s ability to absorb and drain water.
The Yemalur neighbourhood, along with some other parts of Bengaluru, was swamped in waist-deep water last week amid the city’s biggest rains in decades, hurting the IT industry and delivering a blow to the southern metropolis’ reputation.
Residents have long complained about the city’s infrastructure, citing issues such as traffic congestion and water scarcity during the dry season.
But monsoon flooding has renewed concerns about the viability of rapid urban growth, particularly if weather patterns become more irregular and violent as a result of climate change.
Born close to Yemalur, Pullanoor now resides in Mumbai, a city in western India that also experiences periodic flooding. “It’s very, very sad,” he added.
The trees have all almost vanished. Their parks have practically vanished. “Traffic is at a standstill.”
Big companies are also claiming that disruptions are getting worse and that they can cost them tens of millions of dollars in a single day.
Over 3,500 information technology firms and 79 “tech parks” (posh buildings with offices and amenities for tech professionals) call Bengaluru home.
Last week, they tried to access the sophisticated glass-faced complexes in and around Yemalur, where companies like JP Morgan, Deloitte, and huge Indian start-ups are based.
Many people, including multimillionaire business owners, had to ride out the floods in tractors.
According to insurance firms, the initial estimates for property loss reached into the millions of rupees, with the figures projected to rise in the coming days.
Mahnur is MS(development Studies)Student at NUST University, completed BS Hons in Eng Literature. Content Writer, Policy analyst, Climate Change specialist, Teacher, HR Recruiter.
