India, Aug. 15 -- Bengaluru has transitioned from the Maharaja-era's carefully planned abundance to post-independence unplanned sprawl, aggravating floods, traffic congestion, and infrastructure stress. Early planners envisioned 'ring towns' and self-contained industrial hubs to manage growth and relieve pressure on the city. Instead, Bengaluru expanded haphazardly, overburdening its ecology and urban systems.

Urban experts note that post-independence planning largely focused on middle-class aspirations for individual plots and low-rise housing. Today, congested roads, recurring floods, and uncontrolled real estate growth highlight how inadequate planning has strained the city's infrastructure.

They add that from the 1960s to the 1980s,...