India, June 8 -- As June rolls in, Chandigarh puts on its best poker face-pretending it's entirely ready for the monsoon. On paper, it should be. With its celebrated grid plan, wide roads and storm water drainage neatly woven into the sectoral fabric, the city gives the illusion of calm readiness. But the first heavy downpour usually wipes that smug look off its face.

Beneath the surface of its modernist legacy lies a pressing question: is Chandigarh actually prepared for the rains, or has it grown complacent? This isn't just about infrastructure-it's about attitude, upkeep and the uneasy gap between intention and reality.

Storm drains and other urban myths

Water logging at key intersections-ISBT-17, Sector-22 market, and the roundabou...