The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert for Bengaluru and several districts in South Interior Karnataka, predicting persistent rain until September 3. Residents are bracing for light to moderate showers accompanied by gusty winds through the week.
On Tuesday evening, between 4 pm and 7 pm, the city recorded less than 5 mm of rainfall. However, the downpour was enough to trigger traffic snarls and waterlogging across several key neighbourhoods, including Indiranagar, MG Road, Sahakarnagar, Bellandur, Hebbal, BTM Layout and RT Nagar.
Commuters caught in prolonged delays
Peak-hour commuters bore the brunt of Tuesday’s showers, with major bottlenecks reported in multiple corridors. At Hebbal, traffic piled up through the evening, leaving daily travellers frustrated.
“The evening rain, especially during rush hour, has increased my return commute from 30 minutes to over 70 minutes. This has been the case for the last two days,” said Akshay, a corporate employee travelling between Hebbal and Seshadripuram. “Earlier, only the flyover would get crowded, but now even a moderate drizzle creates jams extending to Mehkri Circle.”
The Shivananda Circle steel flyover, connecting Race Course Road and Seshadripuram, also witnessed heavy congestion between 6 pm and 8 pm. The adjoining railway underpass, which often floods, worsened the situation. “On Monday, I was stuck for more than 20 minutes even though it wasn’t a heavy downpour,” said a Seshadripuram resident.
Outer Ring Road and Silk Board troubles
The Outer Ring Road corridor, already known for its bottlenecks, slowed to a crawl on Tuesday evening. Commuters reported taking 30 to 45 minutes to cover just 2 km.
The new double-decker flyover near Silk Board turned into a “swimming pool” on Monday evening, as shared by users on social media. Many motorists expressed concern that poor drainage planning continues to plague newly constructed flyovers and junctions in the city, turning them into accident-prone zones during rain.
Coolest August in four years
Despite the challenges posed by traffic and waterlogging, the weather has brought some relief. Bengaluru recorded its coolest August since 2019, with an average maximum temperature of 27.4°C, against the usual 28.1°C.
Rainfall levels also remained close to normal. The city received 161.8 mm in August, slightly below the average of 162.7 mm. According to IMD officials, overcast skies kept temperatures mild. “Overall, the month was cloudy, and August 13 in particular saw 11.6 mm of rain,” an official said.
What lies ahead
With the yellow alert in place, the IMD has cautioned residents to prepare for continued wet weather this week. While light to moderate rainfall is expected, officials have also warned of gusty winds that may cause tree falls or temporary disruptions in traffic.
City authorities are on alert, though concerns remain about Bengaluru’s perennial drainage and waterlogging issues. For commuters, the next few days may bring longer travel times, particularly during peak hours, as rain continues to lash the city.