Viral Post: Parched Bengaluru residents turn to malls for basic necessities amidst water crisis

As Bengaluru grapples with a severe water shortage even before the onset of summer, residents in upscale gated communities are resorting to unusual measures. 

A Reddit post shed light on the plight of those residing at Kanakapura Road. The user revealed that the society had been without a regular water supply for over a month, prompting residents to seek relief in nearby malls for restroom facilities. This dire situation underscores the depth of the water crisis, forcing even those in high-value properties to explore alternative solutions.

A user ‘Familiar-Art-8675’ in the post claimed that it’s been more than a month since the society received regular, round-the-clock water. This user’s post has now been deleted by the group. A Reddit user and Prestige Falcon City resident “Familiar-Art-8675” claimed it’s been over a month since the society got regular water supply, adding that many have moved to temporary accommodations with no relief in sight.

There was a time when Bangalore malls were used for people discussing startup ideas, and now people are using them to bathe and use the toilet because their 1.5 crore flats have no water. As the water crisis in Bengaluru deepens even before the arrival of the summer season, residents of posh gated communities in the IT city are sharing their water woes online.

In one such post that is going viral, a Reddit user shared how because of the water crisis, the residents are now going to the mall to use their washrooms.

Home to about 14 million people, thousands of startups, and international firms from Walmart to Alphabet’s Google, the city has banned car washing, gardening, construction, water fountains, and even imposed steep fines of up to Rs 5,000 to battle the crisis. The worst-hit are residents of gated communities, with some being forced to visit nearby malls every day to use washrooms because of the worsening water crisis.

Bengaluru’s acute water shortage is forcing posh, gated communities to use mall restrooms, wet wipes, and disposable cutlery as borewells in many areas of the city have dried up.