Heavy rains flood roads inside KIA, 11 flight departures delayed

A very heavy downpour in Devanahalli led to unprecedented waterlogging in parts of the kerb side of the Kempegowda International Airport on Monday evening.

Several taxis were stranded on the roads leading to the terminals as hundreds of passengers waited with luggage.

The airport police and the teams attached to the Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) had a tough time diverting the vehicles and making alternative arrangements. “Our team was immediately pressed into action and the issue has been resolved,” a BIAL spokesperson said. However, heavy rains continued to lash the area.

Till 10 pm, 11 departing flights were delayed due to the adverse weather conditions. Many incoming flights were directed to go around. However, the tarmac was not flooded and there were no issues on the landing side, the spokesperson informed.

Drivers heading to pick up arriving passengers complained that they had to go around in circles as the waterlogging was intense in some of the approach roads near the terminals. The waterlogging also disrupted traffic at the CISF Junction on the South Access Road. “Our traffic staff were there to redirect the vehicles and guide drivers.”

Some passengers with heavy luggage were seen getting onto tractors on the road leading to the Begur side as the water level on the road was too high for cars.

For many passengers, the experience was an extension of what they had been hearing from the cockpit aboard the flights. “The pilot kept announcing that the weather was bad and was awaiting permission to land from the Air Traffic Control,” a passenger recalled.

Among the flights with delayed departure were those headed to Chennai, Pune, Hyderabad, Mangaluru, Mumbai, Kochi and Panaji.

Airport officials said Monday night’s downpour in the area was one of the heaviest in recent times.

Flight disruptions related to poor weather conditions have declined drastically since the opening of the airport’s second runway, equipped with Cat III-B Instrument Landing System (ILS) that allows enhanced visibility for approaching flights.

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