Tracking rain commute woes

There is discontent over single roads and numerous potholes that bring the city traffic to a halt

A fortnight ago, Bengaluru witnessed its roads turn into pools which made travelling within the city an absolute nightmare. The torrential rains are now succeeded by the onset of the south-west monsoon which is bound to wreak havoc on the streets again. Daily travellers have their own perspective on this recurring ordeal.

Lokesh Gowda, an autorickshaw driver, has seen how the rain disrupts life countless times since 2002. He says, “Everyday I start my journey from Magadi road and in a day, I travel around 80-90kms, which pays me about Rs 1,000. However, heavy rains cause a lot of harm to my business because it gets very difficult to go anywhere without getting stuck.”

Talking about the condition of roads, Lokesh expresses discontent over the single roads and numerous potholes that bring the city traffic to a halt. “The price of LPG is now Rs. 80. When it rains, we either don’t get passengers or we have to stop somewhere to avoid any jams. Rains just bring losses,” he complains.

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Rijul Varghese, a student who commutes regularly from C V Raman Nagar to Kothanur, recalls how he once had to take shelter under a flyover since his two-wheeler could not move against the intensity of the rain. He adds, “I had to shift to a shop nearby because the area under the flyover started to clog. I was stuck there for nearly two and a half hours before the rain subsided and I could travel again.”

Observing the water-clogging of roads on many occasions, Rijul comments that along with fixing potholes, the drainage system of the city needs to be improved by the authorities to keep up with the heavy rains.

Expressing her concerns about travelling during rains, Divya Patil, an employee, talks about there being no effective alternatives to reach one’s destination. “I often travel through the Marathahalli bridge and sometimes when it rains, there are no available options like cabs or autos,” says Divya. She emphasises on how her only mode of transport is a scooter, which is not very convenient during heavy showers.