Torrential overnight rains in Bengaluru yet again bared the flaws in the city’s civic infrastructure, with major arterial roads facing flood-like situations on September 5, throwing life out of gear for the second time in a week.
Traffic movement was crippled on ORR starting from Silk Board junction to Bellandur, Marathahalli, HSR layout and Sarjapura Road, making it impossible for two-wheeler riders and four-wheelers to pass through.
At 8 am on Monday, the highest quantum of rainfall [148.50mm] was recorded at Sampangiramanagar in East Bengaluru, according to the KSNDMC website, and 66.50 mm of rain was recorded in Bengaluru Urban.
Major affected areas
Rainwater was more than three feet deep in the railway underbridges at Majestic, Okalipuram and Kasturinagar. The floodgates opened into shopping streets such as Avenue Road, BVK Iyengar Road, KG Road, and Shivajinagar.
Other affected areas due to rain include Whitefield, Gottigere, Bannerghatta Road, Vijayanagar, Rajajinagar, Basaveshwar Nagar, Yeshwantpur, Peenya, Laggere, Nandini Layout, Malleswaram, Seshadripuram, Hebbal, Sanjaynagar, RT Nagar, Nagawara, Hennur, Banaswadi, RR Nagar, Kengeri, Deepanjali Nagar.
There is a plan on how to create a temporary drain: CM Bommai
Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said he has instructed officials to see to it that water is drained out from the inundated roads at the earliest.
“There have been heavy rains in Bengaluru, I have spoken to the Commissioner [BBMP] and other officials. I have asked officials to depute two State Disaster Response Fund [SDRF] teams to Mahdevapura and Bommanahalli zones in the city that have been worst affected, with boats and other equipment..also engineers are there,” Mr. Bommai told reporters.
“There is a plan on how to create a temporary drain and how to go about it [drain out water], it will be operationalised...”he added. - PTI
WFH declared for techies, bank workers
Outer Ring Road Companies Association (ORRCA) has instructed almost a million tech and bank workers employed by various enterprises in the Outer Ring Road (ORR) area to work from home for the whole of this week.
“We have encouraged only 30% of the people to come to offices after the pandemic. Now with this kind of water logging and flooding situation and unbearable traffic snarls, we have asked all employees to work from home for the next five days,’‘ Krishna Kumar, General Manager, at ORRCA told The Hindu.
Meanwhile, the association has asked BBMP and the state government to do something effectively to solve the flood situation and also make traffic arrangements to ease the choking of ORR.
Kempegowda International Airport
Inclement weather conditions at Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) disrupted several flight services. Six flights heading to Bengaluru from various destinations were diverted to Chennai Airport, including two international flights — an Air France flight incoming from Paris and another Lufthansa flight from Frankfur. Poor weather conditions also resulted in delayed departures. A total of nine flights, including six international flights, were delayed.
The airport received 109 mm of rainfall between 11.30 p.m and 4.00 a.m. Air passengers complained about rainwater stagnating at vehicle parking areas outside the terminal.
Outer Ring Road
The Outer Ring Road in Bellandur was severely flooded once again after the Halanayakanahalli Lake overflowed following heavy downpour despite the civic authorities taking up repair work on storm water drains (SWD) near RMZ Ecospace in Bellandur.
Traffic jams extended for up to 3 km due to heavy water logging. Local residents along with cab drivers and food delivery workers could be seen helping people cross the road with the help of a rope.
Sarjapura Road
Rainbow Drive Layout on Sarjapura Road, where an 86-year-old resident died of a heart attack after being unable to get medical attention during last week’s flood, was also inundated. Fire fighters could be seen evacuating citizens from the layout using life boats on Monday.
Sai Layout, Hennur
Sai Layout in Hennur was submerged in knee-deep waters after yesterday’s downpour. The area was similarly flooded last month, too, and is among the parts of Bengaluru that are regularly marooned after rains.
Slums and pourakarmika settlements battered
Apart from IT parks and planned layouts, Bengaluru rains also wreaked havoc on the slums near Munekolalu and Bellandur, affecting over 1,500 families. Earlier, on August 30, too, the pourakarmika settlement in Brookefield, Doddanekkundi was inundated after heavy rains pound the city, rendering hundreds homeless.
Water supply to be disrupted on Sep 5, 6
While there is water everywhere one looks in the city, for the next two days the supply of drinking water will be affected as the Kaveri pumping station in TK Halli in Mandya district, has been inundated as a result of heavy rains. In a press release, the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) said that more than 50 areas including Malleshwaram, Seshadripuram, Indiranagar, Sadashiva Nagar, Kengeri and others will not get drinking water for two days. CM Basavraj Bommai also visited the pumping station in the afternoon.
Power supply interrupted
The heavy downpour on Sunday night led to many electrical damages in the city, causing power interruptions, especially in areas near the Outer Ring Road (ORR).
According to Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (Bescom), a power station at Kadubeesanahalli has been shut down due to waterlogging, while a couple of transformers at other places gave out. Around 15 electrical poles have broken down as trees fell on them. The station has been turned off since 4 am and the electricity supply has been affected in the nearby areas.
Following heavy rains in the city on August 30, 287 trees/branches had fallen on electrical lines and 13 transformers were damaged.
IMD issues yellow warning
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned of thunderous rainfall till September 9 across Karnataka.
The most affected areas are said to be Bellandur, Sarjapura Road, Whitefield, Outer Ring Road, and BEML Layout. All commuters, especially those working in the IT corridor have been requested to avoid taking ORR.
Travel time has shot up by an average of 30% in bangalore and complaints of trees falling in the city. Two cases have been reported at Adugodi, Koramangala, and another got uprooted in Devara Jeevanahalli.
all are requested to avoid routes which is affected due to rain.
