Bengaluru witnessed widespread disruption on Monday after heavy rainfall hit parts of the city and flooded roads, traffic jams and tree and branch collapse occurred in the city, causing huge traffic disruption and the collapse of trees and branches. According to the official data, at least 17.3 mm of rain hit the city between 3:30 PM and 5:00 PM.
There were several areas under the Bengaluru East civic zone, including Hennur, Doddanekkundi, Okalipuram, ITPL, Kasturinagar and Indiranagar, where there was considerable flooding. Water gathered on the road and at the intersection and made it hard for drivers and public transport users to travel. Shivananada Circle and Hoodi Underpass were among the places where rainwater stagnation was a major inconvenience. Cars were slow to get there, and traffic police had to contend with congestion from flooded roads in many places.
One of the worst-affected areas was near Samhita Serenity Apartment in Doddanekkundi, where rainwater was covering parts of the road. Waterlogging was also found at the descending stretch under the Hebbal Flyover towards the airport, the Rainbow Service Road leading to Mahadevapura, the Kasturinagar slope towards Hebbal, Windsor Manor Bridge to High Grounds Junction and Kodigehalli Road near Yelahanka. While water levels slowly receded after the rain stopped, the impact on traffic continued for a few hours after the rain halted and the road network in the city was still disrupted.
Lokande Snehal Sudhakar, another commissioner of the Development Department of Bengaluru East, said authorities are aware of the recurring waterlogging issue in these areas and are working on long-term solutions. Local officials said efforts are being made to address the root causes of flooding and improve stormwater drainage infrastructure in vulnerable areas.
The vent-related infrastructure work carried out in Geddalahalli has contributed to reducing flooding problems at Sai Layout and Vaddarapalya in particular, officials said. They also said the municipality is also working closely with the Railway Department to solve permanent solutions to waterlogging problems in the Hoodi and Panathur underpasses in areas of heavy rain and that the Hoodi and Panathur underpasses are regularly flooded hotspots during heavy rains.
In addition to rain, strong winds accompanied the rain and caused fallen trees and branches in parts of the city. Civic authorities found that some trees and branches fell in Indiranagar and HAL 2nd Stage. Emergency response teams were immediately deployed to clear the debris and resume normal movement. No major injuries were reported.
The rainfall also affected the movement of traffic in many important corridors in Bengaluru. The traffic in areas like Karthik Nagar, Mahadevapura, 17th Main Road, Doopanahalli, Old Uday TV Junction, Jayamahal, PG Halli Bus Stop, Palace Cross, CL Cross Cantonment, East Road, CBI Junction Flyover, Airport Road, Koramangala Inner Ring Road, Kuvempu Circle, Hebbal Circle, B. Narayanapura and HBR Layout Main Road in Nagawara was affected by the rainfall and the slow-moving traffic.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) also predicted continued rainfall in South Interior Karnataka and coastal areas today due to current atmospheric circulation. Residents should be extremely cautious, in particular in low-lying areas prone to flooding, according to officials.
According to rainfall data released on Monday, GKVK received the highest rainfall in Bengaluru at 52.5 mm. Chikkaballapur district received 42.5 mm of rain, HAL Airport received 5.3 mm, and Kempegowda International Airport received 3.8 mm. The city is monitoring dangerous places and preparing emergency response plans to avoid any damage, as more rain is expected in the future.
