Another Manic Monday
pre-monsoon showers
BBMP
BESCOM
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Bengaluru Corporate Club
Outer Ring Road
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It rained in Bengaluru — and as tradition dictates, the city went under. Boats became the mode of transport, earthmovers turned into emergency taxis, and tractors made more appearances than autos as Bengalureans waded through their worst case of Monday blues. Sheltering under trees was even more dangerous. Unpruned branches and neglected trunks threaten to collapse faster than civic promises. Homes offered no refuge either. Water barged in through drains and sewers, clogging memories and carpets alike. While citizens reached for mugs of hot filter coffee, sewage lines reached for their living rooms.And no, this isn't your annual August-September monsoon déjà vu. The southwest monsoon hasn't even clocked in yet. These are just— the city's gentle reminder that it's nowhere near ready for the real thing. If this is the trailer, the main feature promises to be an action-horror epic starring, and the most underrated villain of them all — urban apathy. Brace yourselves, Bengaluru. It's only May.Heavy rains brought parts of the city to a standstill, with the traffic police issuing multiple advisories as several major roads were waterlogged, severely affecting vehicular movement.Traffic on the road from Vijinapura-FCI Godown to Benniganahalli Metro stopped due to rainwater accumulation under the railway underpass. Commuters heading towards Benniganahalli and Tin Factory were warned of significant delays. Police officials tweeted that clearance work was underway and requested public cooperation.At the Lowry underpass near BMTC Depot-2, waterlogging slowed traffic towards Whitefield and Mahadevapura. Authorities were working to drain the accumulated water.The situation has reignited public criticism of the government's ₹48,000-crore tunnel road proposal. Bengaluru Central MP PC Mohan took to social media, saying, 'They can't clear waterlogged roads or fallen trees after a single downpour, but want to dig tunnels costing ₹48,000 crore to solve Bengaluru's traffic? Maybe the tunnel's real purpose is to serve as a water reservoir.'Citizens also expressed frustration online. 'After just a little rain: Road 1—underpass blocked, Road 2-3—blocked due to traffic and roadside digging. Newly built roads vanish in two months thanks to heavy trucks,' one user commented. Another pointed out a lack of planning in the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the tunnel roads, stating, 'Somewhere around here, BBMP's tunnel road plan has entry/exit points. They've spent ₹14 crore but haven't even examined the drainage. Nature has warned us. The DPR is clearly flawed. The tunnel project must be stopped.'Citizens demanded a rethink of mega projects and a renewed focus on basic civic preparedness. Silk Board Junction led the list of traffic nightmares, with a 10-km-long jam reported as early as 7.20 am—well before peak hours. Photos shared byshowed vehicles crawling, if not stalled completely. Areas like Panathur S Cross, Domlur Flyover, and Koramangala were waterlogged, forcing residents to wade through knee-deep water and push stranded vehicles.Social media was flooded with frustration. One user wrote, 'Electronic City traffic jam: half a km, no movement for two hours. Welcome to Bengaluru's traffic management.' On the city's outskirts, NH-48 near Adakamaranahalli (Nelamangala) was submerged after a lake and canal overflowed, leaving underpasses and service roads unusable. The Electronics City flyover was shut down as a precaution, triggering a massive pile-up along Hosur Road. The Hennur–Bagalur Road, a key airport link, was flooded, making it difficult for even traffic police to regulate movement.saw massive jams between Hennur and Hebbal due to waterlogging. A service road near the Ozone building at Silk Board caved in, and a tin shed collapsed at a nearby construction site.
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