Bengaluru roads battered by rains, traffic snarls worsen

Bengaluru: The city’s infrastructure has taken a battering in the persisting rains, with waterlogging, potholes and choking traffic reported from many places.

Residents point to poor road quality and unscientific roadworks for increasing road accidents. 

"Bengaluru drives on the left-hand side of the road, but on Sarjapur Road, we drive on what's left of the road," quipped Varghese Thomas, a resident of Muthanallur.

Hennur, Byrathi, Sarjapur Road, and Whitefield are badly hit, with the Doddagubbi-Hennur stretch turning perilous as potholes and waterlogged underpasses trigger frequent accidents.

Rakesh Malhotra, a member of the civic group Hennur Taskers, pointed to poor road construction for the issue. "If roads are built scientifically without cutting corners, they will last, not roads made in a short period," he said.

Residents stranded due to lack of public transport turned to private vehicles that only worsened the traffic congestion. Auto and taxi services have also been scarce, with people either paying high fares or facing denial of service.

With roads submerged, drains and carriageways became indistinguishable. Garbage mixed with water becomes a stinky mess that even make motorists skid.

Frequent accidents are not making things any better. Recently, an oil truck toppled on Sarjapur Road due to a huge pothole, and a college bus nearly falling into a ditch near Geddlahalli could have been worse.

Residents ask for better connectivity and infrastructure for the road situation to be better.

The IT corridor, especially the Outer Ring Road, was among the worst hit.

“We have deployed additional teams to manage hotspots, especially around Marathahalli and Kadubeesanahalli. But if it rains during peak hours, traffic will stall,” said Sahil Bagla, Deputy Commissioner of Police, (Traffic, East).

Jayaprakash, Deputy Commissioner of Police, (Traffic, North), said officers were on the ground advising commuters to use live traffic apps, take alternative routes, and avoid unnecessary travel.

For residents, commuting has become gruelling.

Harish from Whitefield said it took him over two hours to travel 5 km from Brookefield. “The roads are a mess of potholes and waterlogging,” he said.

Citizens also called for long-term solutions.

“Stormwater drains and rainwater harvesting can help manage runoff and ease water shortages. But we must stop concretising everything, as permeable surfaces are vital for groundwater recharge and flood control,” said Yashaswini Sharma of Malleswaram.

She warned that untreated waste in drains, encroachments on lakebeds, and large-scale tree removal have worsened flooding. “With climate change, the city must brace for heavier and more erratic rain,” she added.

Sneha of Indiranagar flagged another crisis. “Heavy rain combines with garbage overflow. Drains on main roads are choked with plastic and waste,” she said.

DCP Jayaprakash said that traffic was crawling near Hebbal and Nagawara due to waterlogging, with Veeranapalya also being affected . “We are working with the civic authorities to clear bottlenecks. During heavy rain, we pool personnel from other stations to manage traffic in vulnerable areas,” he said.