‘Stop tarnishing Bengaluru’s image’: DK Shivakumar says Karnataka govt ‘doing best to manage rain havoc’

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Wednesday slammed the Opposition parties for shaming Bengaluru for the waterlogging due to rain fury, and urged them to stop tarnishing the image of India’s Silicon Valley.

Launching a blistering attack onOpposition parties, the Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister said, “It is not possible to control nature. The government is doing the best it can to manage rain havoc. The Opposition parties must stop tarnishing the image of Bengaluru. I will hold another round of meeting with the officials of BBMP, Police department and Fire department to take stock of the situation, once I return from the inauguration of Cauvery 5th stage project.”

On the question of posts from Opposition leaders on Bengaluru rains, he said, "Can we tell nature to stop the rains. These are unexpected rains due to cyclones. The government and the people of Bengaluru are capable of handling it."

Earlier today, Union Minister of Heavy Industries and former Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy slammed the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government in the state saying that it's failure of governance. Congress' weak policies have ruined Brand Bengaluru.

Taking to microblogging platform X (formerly known as Twitter), HD Kumaraswamy posted “Bengaluru's rain fury has exposed the utter collapse of infrastructure! The Silicon Valley of India is now drowning in Congress Karnataka's negligence. The IT corridor is flooded, roads are impassable, and the city is sinking,” Kumaraswamy said.

“This isn't just rain, it's the failure of governance. Congress' weak policies have ruined Brand Bengaluru. Potential investors are backing off, questioning how a 'global tech hub' can't handle basic urban management. Wake up! The city's future is at stake,” the union minister added.

Meanwhile, the city battled heavy rainfall. The incessant rainfall led to severe waterlogging and flooding in several areas across the city, causing difficulties for residents. The rainwater flooded the Kendriya Vihar Apartment in the Yelahanka area of the city, and vehicles parked at the Kendriya Vihar Apartment were immersed in knee-deep rainwater.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an 'orange' alert for the city, predicting heavy rains.

The weather department on Tuesday forecast continued heavy rainfall with temperatures around 26 degrees Celsius.

"Bengaluru, along with neighbouring districts such as Chamarajanagar, Mandya, and Ramanagara until October 17, with temperatures expected to climb to 27 degrees Celsius," it said.

Heavy rainfall has caused widespread flooding in parts of Bengaluru city, following which disaster response force personnel have also been deployed in the metropolitan city after the rain forecast.

The incessant downpour affects not only the roads of Bengaluru but also India's biggest office space, Manyata Tech Park.

The flooding in the 300-acre tech village in Silicon Valley was so bad that the employees were asked to stay inside the offices and wait for the waterlogging, both inside and outside, to clear.