Bengaluru: A tragic incident occurred on Monday when a 35-year-old woman Shashikala lost her life due to a wall collapse amid heavy rainfall in the city’s outskirt Mahadevapura. Local authorities are currently conducting an investigation into the incident. This unfortunate event has prompted the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to launch a fierce critique of the Congress government regarding the state of the city’s infrastructure, particularly in light of the ongoing downpours.
Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar acknowledged that the challenges faced by Bengaluru during the monsoon season are not new. However, he emphasized that the government is actively working on long-term solutions to address these persistent issues.
In the past 24 hours, Bengaluru experienced approximately 104 mm of rainfall, leading to the inundation of several low-lying areas and significant traffic congestion. This situation has fueled the BJP’s criticism of the ruling Congress party.
Former Deputy Chief Minister and Malleswaram MLA, C.N. Ashwath Narayan, did not hold back in his criticism of Shivakumar, stating, “Crores have been spent, yet the results are non-existent.” He took to social media platform X to express his concerns, saying, “Last night’s rains didn’t just reveal the inadequacies of Bengaluru’s infrastructure; they highlighted @DKShivakumar’s two-year track record of inaction. Despite the expenditure of crores, we see broken roads, overflowing drains, and disrupted lives. The @INCKarnataka government seems to prioritize photo opportunities in sunny weather while remaining silent during storms.”
Last night’s rains didn’t “expose Bangalore’s infrastructure” — they exposed @DKShivakumar ‘s track record of the last 2 years of doing NOTHING.
— Dr. C.N. Ashwath Narayan (@drashwathcn) May 19, 2025
Crores spent. Zero results.
Broken roads. Overflowing drains. Lives disrupted.@INCKarnataka govt = photo-ops in sunshine, silence…
Karnataka BJP General Secretary and Karkala MLA, Sunil Kumar, has challenged the government on social media platform ‘X’ to publish a white paper detailing the actual expenditure on Bengaluru’s infrastructure over the past two years.
“Take a trip to Silk Board, and you will witness the true extent of your contributions,” he remarked.
Not a single minister is in Bengaluru while citizens suffer.
— Sunil Kumar Karkala (@karkalasunil) May 19, 2025
Flooded tech parks & submerged homes are a mirror to your failure.
Is celebration more important than the people’s misery?
2/4
Visit Silk Board once — you’ll see your real “contribution”.
— Sunil Kumar Karkala (@karkalasunil) May 19, 2025
4/4#BadBangalore #FloodedBengaluru #BengaluruIgnored
During a press conference, BJP spokesperson Ashwath Narayan Gowda criticized the government, stating, “Despite the meteorological department forecasting heavy rainfall nearly a week in advance, no proactive measures were taken to address potential monsoon-related emergencies. The Deputy Chief Minister, D.K. Shivakumar, bears direct responsibility for the chaos caused by the rains in the city.”
Gowda further accused the Deputy Chief Minister of overemphasizing the ‘Brand Bengaluru’ initiative, noting that the Greater Bengaluru Governance Bill was passed in the last assembly session.
“From ‘Brand Bengaluru’ to ‘Greater Bengaluru,’ we have now transitioned to what can only be described as ‘Submerged Bengaluru.’ This is the legacy of the state government,” he asserted.
The BJP leader claimed that no significant development projects have been undertaken in the city over the last two years, ultimately leading to the current flooding crisis.
“Bengaluru contributes the highest tax revenue in Karnataka, yet the necessary investments in basic infrastructure are sorely lacking,” he added.
In response, Shivakumar, who also oversees Bengaluru’s administration, stated that he is in constant communication with relevant officials and is “closely monitoring the situation.”
In a post on ‘X,’ he expressed his deep concern regarding the devastation caused by the relentless rains in Bengaluru.
“I am in continuous contact with the concerned officers and am closely monitoring the situation. As always, I remain committed to Bengaluru, working tirelessly to address the challenges and ensure relief. I will personally visit the BBMP War Room and flood-affected areas to assess the situation on the ground,” he stated.
Deeply concerned by the havoc caused by relentless rains in Bengaluru.
— DK Shivakumar (@DKShivakumar) May 19, 2025
I’ve been in continuous touch with the concerned officers and I'm closely monitoring the situation.
As always, I remain committed to Bengaluru – working round the clock to address challenges and ensure…
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