Due to heavy rains, commuters in Bengaluru faced additional challenges due to poor street lighting and numerous potholes, making nighttime travel particularly hazardous. File photo
| Photo Credit: The Hindu
Bengaluru faced significant disruption on Monday, August 5 evening as heavy rains caused severe traffic jams across the city. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted light to moderate rains, with a likelihood of thundershowers, for Tuesday.
The downpour on Monday, which was accompanied by thunder and lightning, led to waterlogged roads and brought traffic to a near standstill in numerous areas. Rainfall continued late into the night. However, no casualties were reported.
The Outer Ring Road (ORR) between Nagavara and Hebbal was notably affected, with Hebbal Junction—a crucial route to Kempegowda International Airport (KIA)—experiencing intense flooding. This led to significant disruptions in airport traffic.
Several areas, including Koramangala, Ramamurthy Nagar, Indiranagar, RT Nagar, Thanisandra, RR Nagar, Kengeri, Banashankari, Nayandahalli, Malleswaram, Yeshwanthpur, BTM Layout, Marathalli, and Whitefield, saw thunderstorms return after a brief period of rising temperatures.
Commuters faced additional challenges due to poor street lighting and numerous potholes, making nighttime travel particularly hazardous.
Slow traffic in many areas
Slow-moving traffic was a common sight, especially on roads like Old Udaya TV Junction towards Jayamahal, Veerannapalya service road, Nagavara, Kalpana Junction, ORR near Kasturinagar, and Hebbal Junction. Even at 11:15 pm, navigation apps showed congestion from Hebbal Junction to Kalyan Nagar.
The heavy rains affected other parts of the city as well, including Hennur Road, CBI underpass on Ballari Road, Bhoopasandra Road, Mehkri Circle, Mysuru Road, Peenya Industrial Area, Yelahanka, Jakkur, Vishwanath Nagenahalli, Fraser Town, Sampangirama Nagar, Vannarapete, VV Puram, Banashankari, Vidyapeetha, Nayandahalli, Kengeri, RR Nagar, Basapura, Herohalli, Chowdeshwari ward, Bagalagunte, Maruthi Mandir, Hampinagar, Vijayanagar, Rajajinagar, BTM Layout, Marathahalli, Mahadevapura, Vignananagar, Hoodi, Cottonpet, and Guttahalli.
By 11:30 pm on Monday, the IMD reported 38.1 mm of rainfall at its Bengaluru city observatory and 28 mm at the HAL airport observatory. Since the onset of the southwest monsoon, Bengaluru has recorded 366.1 mm of rainfall, with HAL airport receiving 290 mm.
