Bengaluru: Incessant evening showers, coupled with the forecast of rain and thundershowers throughout the week, has put a strain on traffic management in the city.
Despite minimal impact on morning traffic, the upcoming monsoon season presents significant challenges for the traffic police. Unfinished public infrastructure projects, ongoing repairs, clogged drains due to debris dumping, and existing infrastructural issues are all potential hurdles.
Last week, the traffic police reported severe waterlogging in Benniganahalli on Old Madras Road, the Ramamurthy Nagar underpass on Outer Ring Road, and Bannerghatta Road, with areas like Hebbal also emerging as a pain point.
MN Anucheth, Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic), attributed the flooding to ongoing construction activities. "Suburban railway work at Benniganahalli and metro work at Ramamurthy Nagar have disconnected shoulder drains from stormwater drains,” he said, adding that the drains will be restored only after the construction is over.
Anita B Haddannavar, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic, West), pointed to the Windsor Manor-Mehkri Circle stretch, Palace Road, Sankey Road, Mysuru Road (near Nayandahallli), and Kengeri Satellite Town bus stand as areas of concerns in her division. These places were severely flooded in the rains.
Flyover loop
The Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) is building a new flyover loop linking KR Puram and the city at Hebbal Junction, where, as of Tuesday, the traffic police closed the existing KR Puram up ramps for all vehicles.
Meanwhile, the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board’s (BWSSB) pipe-laying work at Vibgyor Cross Road, off HAL Old Airport Road, is disrupting traffic, while the overflowing Madiwala lake is flooding Roopena Agrahara with the metro work snapping drains connecting the lake, said Shiva Prakash Devaraju, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic, South) .
Devaraju said some waterlogging was reported in HSR Layout due to the Agara Lake overflow, and metro work on ORR has let debris clog the drains. Police are working with the BBMP to clear the drains, he added.
Traffic police set aside water pumps in four areas and are working with the BBMP to clear the area after a tree fall.