Shame old story; Day-long showers throw life out of gear in Bengaluru

NT Correspondent Bengaluru: Continuous rains in Bengaluru on Tuesday disrupted normal life affecting the functioning of offices and schools with traffic too hit because of the heavily inundated roads. Commuters had a haunting time navigating their way to their destinations. Key arterial roads like the Outer Ring Road, Old Airport Road, Bellary Road were the worst affected stretches. The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has yet again come under severe criticism for their poor monsoon preparedness. East Bengaluru took the brunt of the rainfall. According to the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC) , Ward 149 Varthur of the Mahadevapura Zone was the wettest in the city, receiving 138 mm of rain. Yelahanka zone has the highest average of 77.85mm, followed by Mahadevapura (42.85mm) and East zone (42.25mm). The outskirts of the city, which is home to many IT companies, suffered with waterlogged roads and flooded homes due to poor drainage. According to the BBMP control room, 118 homes in Yelahanka were flooded of which 80 complaints were attended to while 18 of the 20 flooding cases in Mahadevapura have been taken care of. Varthur too faceds heavy water logging issues, due to poor road infrastructure and drainage faciliites. Yogendra, a resident, claimed that six school buses were trapped near the infamous Panathur Rail Under Bridge (RUB), prompting parents to bring their children on tractors back home.

“Disha Windsor Apartment complex and Skanda Moksha Villa Complex were flooded,” he told News Trail. Pottery Town, a densely populated area, faced severe water logging issues with each downpour, highlighting the city's persistent struggle with monsoon flooding. Despite decades of recurring issues, BBMP has taken no action, according to residents. A local resident told News Trail that this is not the first time waterlogging has happened. We have dealt with this for generations, and nothing has changed." Ramya, shared, "Every time it rains, our houses get flooded, and we just wait for the water to drain out." Hebbal has also grabbed attention, for obvious reasons. Amidst construction by the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) and the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL), the area was heavily choked by traffic and inundated roads. Motorists took hours to cross the flyover towards the city from the airport and expressed disappointment over the poor handling of the flooding. Central and South Bengaluru recorded around 30-40mm of rain, but witnessed tree falls and heavy waterlogging on roads. The South Zone saw seven trees uprooted, and six branches of trees falling on the roads. The east zone saw 22 branches falling on roads and homes, of which three were cleared.

Schools to remain closed today

All Anganwadis, primary, high schools, and aided private schools in Bengaluru will remain closed today (Wednesday) following heavy rains. Bengaluru Deputy Commissioner Jagadish declared a holiday for schools, citing the continuous downpour and the need for safety precautions. The Meteorological Department has issued an orange alert, warning that the heavy rains are expected to last for the next 3-4 days. The incessant rains are a result of a depression in the southeast Bay of Bengal, which has been affecting weather patterns across the region. Due to the adverse conditions and difficulties posed by waterlogged roads, authorities have taken the decision to declare a one-day holiday for schools and affiliated institutions in Bengaluru, prioritising the safety of students and staff.

IT-BT companies advised to WFH

Taking note of the incessant rain in the city, and the forecast from the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) the state IT-BT Department has issued an advisory to all private IT-BT companies to request staff to work from home on Wednesday, October 16. “Transport systems may be disrupted due to flooding, waterlogging, and traffic congestion, making commuting to office a risk. As a precautionary measure, it is recommended that IT, BT and private companies permit their employees to work from home,” the letter stated.