Deluge-hit Bengaluru limps back to normalcy, BJP faces people's wrath on social media

Tejasvi Surya was criticised by social media users, who accused him of promoting an eatery in his constituency when many parts of the city reeled under floods

Although floodwaters receded here in some areas, the images of people rushing out of submerged localities in tractors is set to linger on in people's memory for long and the only silver lining now is the respite from torrential rains.

While elected representatives of the ruling BJP faced tough questions over tackling the deluge, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday said he would bat for special grants from Centre to handle the situation arising out of the damage caused by the downpour to civic infrastructure.

Parts of Bengaluru that were battered by torrential rains for the last couple of days appeared to be slowly returning to normalcy with floodwaters receding in some areas. According to official sources, waterlogging has been cleared in most roads, while work is on for draining water in other affected areas.

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Traffic is almost returning to near-usual levels and complete normalcy is hoped soon.

For people whose routine life was thrown out of gear due to the showers, the respite is that the rains have stopped. However, many residents could not forget the travails they endured, like those who live in 'Epsilon', a posh gated community in North Bengaluru.

Almost all in Epsilon were top business executives and in this neighbourhood, high-end cars were submerged, household belongings were washed away and they used tractors and boats to reach places of safety.

Bangalore South Lok Sabha member Tejasvi Surya was trolled and criticised by a section of social media users, who accused him of relishing dosa and promoting an eatery in his constituency, when many parts of the city reeled under torrential rains and floods.

The Congress party targeted him for eating dosa and 'mocking people' when the city drowned.

On social media, some people questioned the other two Bengaluru BJP MPs Sadananda Gowda (North) and P C Mohan (Central), on their contribution in handling the situation arising out of rains and the deluge. There were also several tweets blaming the city's MLAs and political class.

Bommai on Wednesday said his government will seek special grants from the Union government as compensation for the damage caused in rain-battered Bengaluru. He held a meeting with the Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) headed by Home Ministry’s joint secretary Ashish Kumar, which is visiting Karnataka to take stock of the flood situation in the state. “We have shared details on damages caused during three stages of rainfall - July, August and the first week of September,” Bommai said.

The CM apprised the team that Rs 500 crore was released twice to take up restoration of damaged infrastructure, and another Rs 600 crore was released earlier this week.