Bengaluru rains: Karnataka govt to hold meeting with heads of tech companies

After the unprecedented rainfall exposed the limitations of infrastructure in Bengaluru, especially in the regions that house the IT companies, the state government will be holding a meeting with the heads and representatives of the tech companies on Wednesday evening.

The meeting is scheduled at 5 p.m., according to the official communication from the state Ministry of Electronics Information Technology Biotechnology and Science & Technology.

State Minister Ashwanth Narayan has called upon the tech company heads to participate and share grievances.

He has further stated that the heads and representatives of the tech companies such as Infosys, Wipro, Emphasis, Goldman Sachs, Intel, TCS, Philips, Sonata and others will be participating.

Narayan will chair the meeting, which is being organised in the conference room in Vidhana Soudha. "We will listen to the woes of tech firm representatives in the meeting. BBMP Commissioner will present PPT regarding the handling of crisis situations. The government is honestly attempting to solve the crisis," he stated.

The meeting will be attended by the Commissioner of Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) and Bengaluru Police Commissioner.

Authorities have heaved a sigh of relief as water levels on the stretch of Sarjapur Road in Bengaluru have come down. Police have stated that the road is clear for driving to reach HSR Layout and Central Silk Board Junction.

Minister for Revenue R. Ashok stated that encroachments will be removed mercilessly. BBMP has identified 175 encroachments in the Mahadevapura. The authorities have begun operations to remove encroachments.

HAL traffic police in Bengaluru have given a traffic advisory to avoid going towards Eco World as water logging has not been cleared yet.

The Outer Ring Road Company Association (ORRCA) in Bengaluru had written to Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai that IT firms on the Outer Ring Road have suffered a loss of Rs 225 crore due to the floods following heavy rainfall. The letter highlighted the poor infrastructure between the Central Silk Board and the K.R. Puram corridor, which supports the livelihood of one million people, including half a million software professionals. The letter has also warned that the IT companies will search for alternative destinations if the situation continues.

Ashwathnarayan, Minister for Higher Education; IT & BT, Science & Technology; Skill Development, Entrepreneurship & Livelihood stated that "recent rains in Bengaluru have been extraordinary. The BS Bommai-led government is actively monitoring the issue and working hard to resolve it as soon as possible. A thriving city that has been continually growing for decades is bound to face certain infrastructure issues."

"Our government has been closely collaborating with the industry. We are doing it now too. I have initiated a meeting and will talk with industry leaders and corporate executives soon. We will work together to find a solution. CM Basavaraj Bommai has taken a serious and keen interest in resolving the concerns as soon as possible," he said.

"We have organised a meeting with all stakeholders, including the industry, and we are committed to resolving the issues," he said.

The government has now swung into action. Chief Minister Basavaraj S Bommai has said a sum of ₹ 1,500 crore has been earmarked to drain water out of the city and another ₹ 300 crore to remove encroachment, reported NDTV.