Traffic and fire personnel rescued at least 40 commuters who were stranded for more than three hours in the intervening night of October 9-10 at Kariyammana Agrahara in Bellandur Kodi as heavy rains pounded Bengaluru. On October 10 morning, traffic movement along busy roads was slow as water was yet to recede.
After a month-long dry spell, Bengaluru has been receiving moderate to heavy downpour starting October 8 evening. Citizens were inconvenienced as several roads and a few houses were inundated. The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) appears to have done little to avoid flooding.
Many commuters travelling on a stretch of road at Kariyammana Agrahara underwent a horrendous experience. About waist deep water on the road made it impossible for them to move. They had to stay in the water for more than three hours until they were rescued and moved to safer place on tractors.
Ankeet Kumar Hanny, a commuter, posted on social media platform X: “I don’t know who else to tag to resolve situation at Kariyammana Agrahara road. We are stuck here on a narrow stretch since three-and-a-half hours. There is no way to go.” He was rescued around 1.33 a.m. on October 10.
The traffic department, which failed to pump out the water using pumps, later sought help from the BBMP and Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB).
BBMP Chief Engineer B.S. Prahlad told The Hindu, “The civic body could not carry out anti-encroachment drive in the area as the matter is pending in court. As a result, water from a channel is overflowing on to the road. HAL Airport Traffic Police had closed this road for traffic. Vehicles were diverted through Outer Ring Road and Bellandur.”
The situation in many other roads, which usually witness inundation, was no different. Whitefield traffic were forced to close Panathur Railway Underpass (RuB) due to water logging along Chroma Road. The road below Carmelaram flyover was completely waterlogged. Scenes of motorists wading through the underpass was common.
At Roopena Agrahara, the road was submerged as water from an apartment complex was being dumped into an underground drain outside. Movement of traffic was impacted.
Waterlogging was reported from Peenya along Tumakuru Road, Kasturi Nagar, Nayandahalli, Dhananjaya Palace Road, Vijayanagar, Anil Kumble Circle, the road near Chickpet Metro Station, Bannerghatta Road, Seshadripuram underpass, Le Meridian underpass, and other places. Although water entered a few houses, the BBMP to yet to compile a list of areas and houses that were inundated.
