The Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) is considering to prepare a new Zonal Drainage Master Plan (ZDM) under the World Bank-supported Water Resilient Project to address the city’s recurring flooding issues.

The initiative aims to create an integrated, data-driven drainage blueprint covering stormwater management, sewage networks, and flood mitigation strategies. The ZDM will assess existing infrastructure, identify vulnerabilities, and propose sustainable, long-term drainage solutions aligned with Bengaluru’s rapid urban growth. Collaboration with institutions such as IISc, IIT Madras, CSTEP, and WELL Labs will ensure scientific rigor in flood-risk analysis and planning. However, challenges persist due to the lack of reliable stormwater data, poor coordination among civic agencies, and missing project records. This effort follows earlier unfulfilled initiatives dating back to 2022.

This time, however, implementation is crucial since World Bank funding depends on measurable outcomes under the disbursement linked indicators (DLIs) system. Citizen participation and data crowdsourcing are also being considered to fill critical information gaps.