A Bengaluru resident has taken legal action against the city’s civic authority, citing severe health issues caused by neglected and crumbling roads. Dhivya Kiran, 43, from Richmond Town, served a legal notice to the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) demanding Rs 50 lakh as compensation for the “physical agony and emotional trauma” he claims to have endured while commuting through the city’s poor roads.
“Even the smallest pothole can cause distress”
Kiran, a tax-paying citizen, says he’s had enough. “Bengaluru roads are a mess. Even the smallest pothole can cause so much distress,” he told NDTV. According to him, the roads have left him not only in physical pain but also emotionally drained.
In the legal notice served on 14 May by Advocate K V Laveen, Kiran outlines a long list of health troubles that he attributes directly to the condition of the roads. He reportedly made five visits to orthopaedic specialists and four emergency trips to St Philomena’s Hospital due to “severe neck and back pain”, which his doctors have “medically linked to the jerks and trauma caused while commuting on these treacherous roads.”
“My client states that he was forced to visit 5 orthopaedic specialists due to the intensifying pain. He made 4 emergency visits to St. Philomena’s Hospital, undergoing injections and procedures to relieve acute agony. Further, have been on multiple medications and painkillers to manage the condition,” Advocate Laveen said.
Also Read: Will Bengaluru weather improve today? IMD says likely not, extends rainfall alert until Sunday
“Episodes of crying out in pain, loss of sleep”
The ordeal didn’t stop at physical suffering. Kiran has reportedly endured sleepless nights, anxiety, and emotional exhaustion. “He has also experienced episodes of crying out in pain, loss of sleep, anxiety, and mental distress, all of which have deeply affected his well-being and daily functioning,” Laveen added.
Mobility has become a daily struggle. Kiran says he cannot use two-wheelers or autos as the jarring rides aggravate his spinal condition. “Even cab rides are difficult, though marginally more tolerable than autos or bikes. This severely limits his mobility and independence, affecting both his personal and professional commitments,” the notice explained.
The legal document accuses BBMP of “gross negligence and failure in discharging its public duty” and demands Rs 50 lakh for medical expenses (past and future), physical and emotional suffering, and travel costs for consultations. An additional Rs 10,000 has been sought to cover legal notice charges. If the civic body fails to respond within 15 days, Kiran has warned of pursuing civil action and filing a Public Interest Litigation ( PIL) in the Karnataka High Court.
“It is very sad that the city does not care for good infrastructure. That is why I have sent a notice to the authorities. If need be, I will file a PIL. Why should I suffer? The least the state can do is provide us with good roads,” Kiran said.
Rains, floods, and a city under siege
Kiran’s complaint comes as Bengaluru reels from one of its worst spells of rain in years. Over 130 mm of rainfall pounded the city in just 12 hours from Sunday night, drowning roads, killing three people, and forcing residents to evacuate waterlogged homes using inflatable boats.
One person died after being swept into an overflowing stormwater drain in Srigandha Kaval near Sumanahalli. In a separate incident, a 22-year-old woman drowned when her vehicle got stuck in a flooded underpass in the KR Circle area.
The woman, identified as Madhu, was travelling with her family in a cab from her hometown in Vijayawada when the car entered the waterlogged KR Circle underpass. According to the driver, water levels rose swiftly and the vehicle began to submerge. While others in the vehicle were rescued, Madhu was found unresponsive and later declared dead at a hospital.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the city received 10 cm of rainfall in 24 hours, prompting a yellow alert until Friday. “The last time it rained this heavily was on 18 May 2022,” said Latha Sridhar, scientist at IMD Bengaluru. “The highest rainfall this season so far has been 15 cm.”
Also Read: Rains to lash Chennai, several parts of TN till Saturday as Stalin sounds alert to brace for early Southwest Monsoon
Flooded roads, stranded commuters
Several key junctions in central and southern Bengaluru reported severe waterlogging. Underpasses, low-lying areas and arterial roads were submerged. Commuters reported delays of more than two hours across multiple parts of the city.
The city’s infrastructure struggled to keep up. Underpasses and flyovers were closed. Traffic choked for hours. Over 500 homes were flooded. More than 20 lakes were on the brink of overflowing. In Whitefield, 32-year-old Shashikala D, a sweeper, died after a compound wall collapsed. Two others – a 63-year-old man and a 12-year-old boy – were electrocuted while trying to pump out water in their home.
The traffic police diverted vehicles from flooded stretches such as KR Circle, Shivananda Circle, and the Anand Rao flyover underpass. Visuals shared on social media showed cars stuck underwater, broken-down two-wheelers, and people wading through waist-deep water.
One civic volunteer, speaking from the spot, said, “There was no time to react. The water level rose so fast that within minutes the vehicles were half submerged.”
The downpour, which began in the afternoon, lasted more than two hours, with rainfall exceeding 80 mm in parts of the city, as per the Indian Meteorological Department.
“Sometimes, things get out of hand”
The storm exposed the fragility of Bengaluru’s urban systems. Greater Bengaluru Municipal Corporation Chief Commissioner Maheshwar Rao called it the second-highest rainfall in a decade. “Sometimes, things get out of hand – we are working on it,” he said.
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar visited the flood-hit areas on Sunday evening. Addressing the media, he said: “Due to heavy rainfall, water got logged in the underpass. We will take immediate action to prevent such incidents. We are expediting the work on stormwater drains.”
Shivakumar added that the government would provide ₹5 lakh as compensation to the family of the deceased woman. He acknowledged that the city’s infrastructure was not built to handle such sudden and intense rainfall.
“Work is already under way, but it is difficult to cover everything at once. Wherever the BBMP has not yet constructed proper stormwater drains, we will now fix that on priority,” he said.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah also commented on the incident, stating: “This incident is very unfortunate. The underpass was closed, but the driver still took the vehicle in. We will issue guidelines to ensure such things do not repeat.”
Rescue teams deployed
The National Disaster Response Force ( NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) were deployed to assist in rescue and relief operations. Emergency crews used inflatable rafts and ropes to help trapped commuters and clear blocked drains.
Authorities said the BBMP received over 100 complaints related to waterlogging, fallen trees and power disruptions. Helplines were activated and several fire tenders were stationed near vulnerable locations.
In many places, stormwater drains overflowed directly onto roads. Experts have raised concerns over poor maintenance and lack of long-term urban drainage planning.
(With inputs from TOI, PTI)
“Even the smallest pothole can cause distress”
Kiran, a tax-paying citizen, says he’s had enough. “Bengaluru roads are a mess. Even the smallest pothole can cause so much distress,” he told NDTV. According to him, the roads have left him not only in physical pain but also emotionally drained.
In the legal notice served on 14 May by Advocate K V Laveen, Kiran outlines a long list of health troubles that he attributes directly to the condition of the roads. He reportedly made five visits to orthopaedic specialists and four emergency trips to St Philomena’s Hospital due to “severe neck and back pain”, which his doctors have “medically linked to the jerks and trauma caused while commuting on these treacherous roads.”
“My client states that he was forced to visit 5 orthopaedic specialists due to the intensifying pain. He made 4 emergency visits to St. Philomena’s Hospital, undergoing injections and procedures to relieve acute agony. Further, have been on multiple medications and painkillers to manage the condition,” Advocate Laveen said.
Also Read: Will Bengaluru weather improve today? IMD says likely not, extends rainfall alert until Sunday
“Episodes of crying out in pain, loss of sleep”
The ordeal didn’t stop at physical suffering. Kiran has reportedly endured sleepless nights, anxiety, and emotional exhaustion. “He has also experienced episodes of crying out in pain, loss of sleep, anxiety, and mental distress, all of which have deeply affected his well-being and daily functioning,” Laveen added.
Mobility has become a daily struggle. Kiran says he cannot use two-wheelers or autos as the jarring rides aggravate his spinal condition. “Even cab rides are difficult, though marginally more tolerable than autos or bikes. This severely limits his mobility and independence, affecting both his personal and professional commitments,” the notice explained.
The legal document accuses BBMP of “gross negligence and failure in discharging its public duty” and demands Rs 50 lakh for medical expenses (past and future), physical and emotional suffering, and travel costs for consultations. An additional Rs 10,000 has been sought to cover legal notice charges. If the civic body fails to respond within 15 days, Kiran has warned of pursuing civil action and filing a Public Interest Litigation ( PIL) in the Karnataka High Court.
“It is very sad that the city does not care for good infrastructure. That is why I have sent a notice to the authorities. If need be, I will file a PIL. Why should I suffer? The least the state can do is provide us with good roads,” Kiran said.
Rains, floods, and a city under siege
Kiran’s complaint comes as Bengaluru reels from one of its worst spells of rain in years. Over 130 mm of rainfall pounded the city in just 12 hours from Sunday night, drowning roads, killing three people, and forcing residents to evacuate waterlogged homes using inflatable boats.
One person died after being swept into an overflowing stormwater drain in Srigandha Kaval near Sumanahalli. In a separate incident, a 22-year-old woman drowned when her vehicle got stuck in a flooded underpass in the KR Circle area.
The woman, identified as Madhu, was travelling with her family in a cab from her hometown in Vijayawada when the car entered the waterlogged KR Circle underpass. According to the driver, water levels rose swiftly and the vehicle began to submerge. While others in the vehicle were rescued, Madhu was found unresponsive and later declared dead at a hospital.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the city received 10 cm of rainfall in 24 hours, prompting a yellow alert until Friday. “The last time it rained this heavily was on 18 May 2022,” said Latha Sridhar, scientist at IMD Bengaluru. “The highest rainfall this season so far has been 15 cm.”
Also Read: Rains to lash Chennai, several parts of TN till Saturday as Stalin sounds alert to brace for early Southwest Monsoon
Flooded roads, stranded commuters
Several key junctions in central and southern Bengaluru reported severe waterlogging. Underpasses, low-lying areas and arterial roads were submerged. Commuters reported delays of more than two hours across multiple parts of the city.
The city’s infrastructure struggled to keep up. Underpasses and flyovers were closed. Traffic choked for hours. Over 500 homes were flooded. More than 20 lakes were on the brink of overflowing. In Whitefield, 32-year-old Shashikala D, a sweeper, died after a compound wall collapsed. Two others – a 63-year-old man and a 12-year-old boy – were electrocuted while trying to pump out water in their home.
The traffic police diverted vehicles from flooded stretches such as KR Circle, Shivananda Circle, and the Anand Rao flyover underpass. Visuals shared on social media showed cars stuck underwater, broken-down two-wheelers, and people wading through waist-deep water.
One civic volunteer, speaking from the spot, said, “There was no time to react. The water level rose so fast that within minutes the vehicles were half submerged.”
The downpour, which began in the afternoon, lasted more than two hours, with rainfall exceeding 80 mm in parts of the city, as per the Indian Meteorological Department.
“Sometimes, things get out of hand”
The storm exposed the fragility of Bengaluru’s urban systems. Greater Bengaluru Municipal Corporation Chief Commissioner Maheshwar Rao called it the second-highest rainfall in a decade. “Sometimes, things get out of hand – we are working on it,” he said.
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar visited the flood-hit areas on Sunday evening. Addressing the media, he said: “Due to heavy rainfall, water got logged in the underpass. We will take immediate action to prevent such incidents. We are expediting the work on stormwater drains.”
Shivakumar added that the government would provide ₹5 lakh as compensation to the family of the deceased woman. He acknowledged that the city’s infrastructure was not built to handle such sudden and intense rainfall.
“Work is already under way, but it is difficult to cover everything at once. Wherever the BBMP has not yet constructed proper stormwater drains, we will now fix that on priority,” he said.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah also commented on the incident, stating: “This incident is very unfortunate. The underpass was closed, but the driver still took the vehicle in. We will issue guidelines to ensure such things do not repeat.”
Rescue teams deployed
The National Disaster Response Force ( NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) were deployed to assist in rescue and relief operations. Emergency crews used inflatable rafts and ropes to help trapped commuters and clear blocked drains.
Authorities said the BBMP received over 100 complaints related to waterlogging, fallen trees and power disruptions. Helplines were activated and several fire tenders were stationed near vulnerable locations.
In many places, stormwater drains overflowed directly onto roads. Experts have raised concerns over poor maintenance and lack of long-term urban drainage planning.
(With inputs from TOI, PTI)
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