Rain halts traffic, uproots trees

The residents might have to keep their umbrellas out for two more days with the Meteorological Department predicting rain in parts of the City for the next 48 hours.

The City recorded 59.9 mm rainfall on Saturday. For the next 48 hours, the sky would be generally cloudy. This could be accompanied by rain or thundershowers leaving the maximum and minimum temperatures hovering around 30 and 20 degree Celsius, respectively. With two major sporting events being lined up in the City on Sunday, participants and enthusiasts can only hope that rain does not play a spoilsport. While a wet morning would make it tough for those taking part in the TCS 10K Marathon, evening rain could scuttle the plans of those wanting watch a weekend IPL match.

Many parts of the City were waterlogged following the continuous downpour since the afternoon on Saturday. Even the outer part of Kanteerava stadium was waterlogged with garbage being dumped near the drainage area. However, workers were seen making arrangements for the marathon.

Slow-moving traffic was reported at Anil Kumble Circle, near Esteem Mall in Hebbal, Mekhri Circle (towards Hebbal), Anepalya (towards Shoolay Circle), Silk Board (towards Madiwala checkpost), Jalahalli Cross, Tumakuru Road, Bannerghatta Road, near KR Puram Railway Station, Platform Road at Okalipuram, Hudson Circle, KR Puram, Kamaraj Road and near Yelahanka Police Station. 

With many underpasses, including the ones near Le-Meredien, Cantonment railway station, Sheshadripuram clogged, people were forced to take diversions. The chock-a-block traffic forced the police to divert the vehicles moving to St Mark’s Road from Residency Road.

Over 20 trees were uprooted at Jayanagar. At HBR Layout, the stormwater drain (SWD) overflowed.

Assistant Executive Engineer of HBR Layout ward Anand, who was at the spot, said the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board was carrying out sanitary pipeline repair work and due to the blockage because of that, the SWD water overflowed. Similarly, 20 houses at Kempapura, Hebbal and houses in low-lying areas at Kalyan Nagar were inundated. The BBMP staff said that they have sent the gangmen  to clear the fallen trees and clear the clogged water.