Relief from heat, but stress on the roads in Bengaluru

Bengaluru: Parts of Bengaluru woke up to a gloomy Thursday morning, with an overcast sky signalling rain throughout the day.

The steady downpour, which persisted into the afternoon, brought with it waterlogging, flooded roads, fallen trees, and traffic snarls.

Several parts of the city, especially in the eastern regions and outskirts, experienced flood-like conditions due to long-standing infrastructure issues.

From Tavarekere Main Road in the south to Ramamurthy Nagar in the east, roads overflowed with muddy water, a consequence of pending SWD desilting.

Freesto Francis, a resident of Carmelaram Road, said his afternoon commute from Ecospace in Bellandur to his home took an hour, despite it not being peak traffic time.

"Waterlogging was severe in the afternoon, causing heavy traffic on the Ecospace road. The drainage system wasn’t cleaned, leading to dirty water flooding the streets and pedestrian pathways. It is a complete mess," he noted.

Prominent areas such as Richmond Road, General KS Thimayya Road, Indiranagar's Krishna Temple Road, and Anil Kumble Circle on Mahatma Gandhi Road were also waterlogged. Reports of waterlogging at Goraguntepalya surfaced as early as 10 am, resulting in slow-moving traffic.

While two-wheeler and personal vehicle users struggled with slow-moving traffic, pedestrians and public transport users also faced difficulties.

Tangadurai, a resident of Kalkere Channasandra near Ramamurthy Nagar, said it was nearly impossible to walk in his neighbourhood due to silt overflow, forcing residents to use their vehicles even for short distances.

Auto & cab shortages 

Auto and cab bookings became increasingly difficult due to traffic congestion across the city. Many commuters waited in vain, finding that even tipping extra on ride-hailing apps did not improve their chances of securing a ride.

Prajwal Sampigethaya, who regularly commutes from Domlur to Indiranagar via Rapido, said: "On a regular day, my ride costs Rs 70 to Rs 75. Today, I had to pay Rs 100 to finally get a ride. Autos never accept bookings on rainy days unless we offer an additional Rs 20 to Rs 40."

Major flooded areas

Veerasandra Junction, Hosur Road

Parts of Outer Ring Road, between Silk Board and Nagawara

MMT Junction towards KR Puram

Anil Kumble Circle, MG Road

Cauvery underpass

Panathur railway underbridge

Sony World Signal

HAL Airport Road

29th Main Road, Madiwala, towards Silk Board

Tree falls, drains overflow 

Tree fall incidents were reported from Bikasipura, Ashok Nagar, Telecom Layout, Murgeshpalya, Sarjapur Main Road, Kaggadasapura, Hanumagiri Layout, Kodigehalli, Chamarajpet, and Bull Temple Road.

A large tree collapse on 10th Main Road, Rajajinagar, damaged several parked cars.

The BBMP control room received complaints of 12 fallen trees and 41 fallen branches, of which six trees and 27 branches were cleared by 6 pm.

Reports of an overflowing roadside drain in Chikkalasandra and rainwater entering a home on 3rd Cross Road, Agara Post, were also received.

The situation remains challenging, with BBMP teams working to clear debris and address waterlogging issues across the city.

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Bengaluru Urban district 

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