Bengaluru's Urban Flooding Crisis: A Deep Dive into Vulnerability and Resilience Two recent studies have highlighted the urgent need for climate resilience in Bengaluru as urban flooding increasingly disrupts daily life. The first study, conducted by professors at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and published by Springer, examines how recurring urban floods and public transport fare hikes exacerbate accessibility and affordability challenges for residents. The second study, led by researchers from the National Institute of Technology Patna and the Department of Architecture, Dayananda Sagar College of Architecture in Bengaluru, focuses on Bellandur Ward, identifying its heightened vulnerability to flooding due to rapid urbanization and inadequate stormwater infrastructure. The IISc study reveals that disruptions such as flooding and fare hikes disproportionately affect low-income commuters. According to Prof. Ashish Verma, a transportation system engineering expert at IISc, 34% of low-income respondents reported wage loss due to flood-related transport disruptions. Verma explained that low-income groups are less likely to have alternatives like working from home or paying for private transport, making them more vulnerable to climate-related disruptions. He emphasized that the current transport system fails to protect these groups during climate events, with wage losses falling harder on them than on higher-income individuals. Fare hikes have also pushed some residents toward private transport. Based on 184 survey responses, the study found that 31.5% of public transport users shifted to non-public options after fare increases, with low-income and male commuters being particularly sensitive to price changes.#bengaluru #imdad #indian_institute_of_science #national_institute_of_technology_patna #dayananda_sagar_college_of_architecture
