Bengaluru's Shame: School Buses Stranded Again on Waterlogged Road, Children Wading Through Filth

Bengaluru, the Silicon Valley of India, found itself grappling with a familiar and infuriating crisis this week as two more school buses became hopelessly stranded on the notorious Balagere-Panathur stretch. This alarming incident, occurring after a spell of heavy rainfall, wasn't an isolated event but a chilling replay of the chaos witnessed just a week prior, spotlighting a persistent and dangerous failure in the city's infrastructure.

The harrowing scene unfolded on the Balagere-Panathur Road, specifically near the DivyaSree Elan residential complex, an area now synonymous with urban flooding.

One bus belonged to Orchids International, the other to VIBGYOR High. Both vehicles, carrying young, unsuspecting students, found themselves swallowed by knee-deep water, their engines rendered useless, trapping the children inside.

Forced to abandon their crippled transport, students had no choice but to step out into the murky, potentially contaminated water to make their way to safety.

The sight of these young children wading through what amounted to a makeshift river, created by the city's inadequate drainage, ignited a firestorm of outrage among parents. Their anger wasn't just directed at the immediate inconvenience but at the sheer negligence that allows such life-threatening situations to recur.

Just seven days prior, a similar plight befell a school bus from Silver Oaks International on the very same stretch of road.

The repeated incidents paint a grim picture: authorities, despite clear warnings and public outcry, have failed to implement any effective measures to prevent the flooding that plagues this vital arterial road. This isn't a freak accident; it's a predictable consequence of systemic neglect.

The Balagere-Panathur-Gunjur Road, a crucial link for thousands of commuters and students, has long been a source of exasperation for residents.

Complaints about its deplorable condition, ranging from crater-like potholes to non-existent drainage systems, have fallen on deaf ears for years. Promises of development and infrastructure upgrades from the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) seem to vanish with the first heavy downpour, leaving citizens to contend with the aftermath.

Parents are not just inconvenienced; they are deeply worried about their children's safety and health.

The emotional toll of seeing their little ones navigate such hazardous conditions is immense. They are demanding answers and, more importantly, concrete action. This isn't merely about road infrastructure; it's about the fundamental right to safe passage, especially for the most vulnerable members of society.

The question remains: how many more buses must get stranded, how many more children must be put at risk, before Bengaluru's civic agencies finally wake up to their responsibilities?