'we Cannot Build Great Cities This Way': Sridhar Vembu Explains Why Bengaluru Is Always On The Brink

As Bengaluru reels from 1 of its heaviest pre-monsoon spells successful a decade, Zoho laminitis Sridhar Vembu has weighed successful pinch a sobering reflection: “We cannot build awesome cities erstwhile we person a immense agrarian organization hopeless to migrate to overcrowded cities pinch surgery and heavy overloaded infrastructure.”

Vembu’s comments travel amid wide flooding successful India’s tech capital. Bengaluru recorded 130 mm of rainfall betwixt Sunday evening and Monday morning—its second-highest successful a decade. Roads turned into rivers, postulation came to a standstill, and cardinal neighbourhoods for illustration Koramangala, Marathahalli, and BTM Layout were near waterlogged and trim off.

Tragedy followed. A 35-year-old housekeeping staffer, Shashikala, died aft a wall collapsed connected her successful Mahadevapura. In different portion of nan city, 63-year-old Manmohan Kamath and 12-year-old Dinesh were electrocuted while trying to pump retired h2o from their flooded home.

As authorities scrambled to rescue stranded residents and reconstruct services, Vembu turned nan spotlight connected a systemic nonaccomplishment that’s seldom addressed during specified disasters. “Bengaluru aspires to subordinate nan first world,” he wrote, “but we person nan harsh reality of a immense organization successful poorness whose ballot depends connected rate transportation schemes, moreover arsenic agrarian joblessness leads to unchecked migration to Bengaluru.”

He adds that this isn’t a governmental rant, but an study shaped by his acquisition surviving successful agrarian India. “The value of life successful Bengaluru depends crucially connected really galore group we win successful not sending to Bengaluru from agrarian India.”

Meteorologists pass nan worst whitethorn not beryllium over. A uncommon large wind pattern, pinch thunderclouds moving westbound to east—a guidance uncommon for Bengaluru—has triggered an orangish alert. A cyclonic circulation complete nan east-central Arabian Sea whitethorn intensify successful coming days, pinch dense rains expected until May 25.

Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar assured that officials were successful nan section addressing nan crisis. “Irrespective of wherever we are, our work is to prevention Bengaluru's pride, and we will do it.”
 

Published on: May 21, 2025 8:43 AM IST