Bengaluru: Heavy rainfall lashed the city’s southeastern belt on Thursday evening, submerging key areas such as HSR Layout, Bommanahalli, Bellandur, Iblur, and Sarjapur Road. The downpour left commuters stranded in knee-deep water and caused severe traffic congestion across the tech corridor.

Drain work triggers flooding

Several arterial roads, including stretches near the Silk Board junction, were inundated after ongoing drain development work by the Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) led to water backflow into the streets.
Officials from the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) attributed the flooding to incomplete or blocked drain segments under the BWSSB project.

“Water that was supposed to pass into the secondary drains, instead gushed into the carriageway,” said a senior GBA engineer.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the highest rainfall was recorded in Bommanahalli (34 mm), followed by HSR Layout (24 mm), HAL Airport Station 2 (23.5 mm), and Garudacharpalya (19.5 mm).

Residents voice frustration

In Begur, the situation was particularly grim. “The drain overflows every time it rains, and the entire street is in knee-deep water,” said Sathyanarayan G.K., a resident of Classic Layout. “Repeated complaints to the authorities have fallen on deaf ears,” he added.

His neighbour Kiran Kumar echoed the sentiment: “Every time the sewage water gushes in, we are doomed. We cannot even step out of our homes, and the stench is unbearable.”

In HSR Sector 6, Arvind Krishnan pointed to incomplete civic works:

“Half the road has been dug up for BWSSB drain works, and the rest is filled with silt. They promised to finish before the monsoon, but nothing moved.”

Meanwhile, Divya Suresh from HSR Sector 7 said the stormwater drain overflowed near Agara Lake junction, causing sewage to mix with rainwater. “It’s unbearable — the stench, mosquitoes, and traffic jams have made life miserable,” she said.

Authorities defend delay

A BWSSB official said the drainage works were aimed at improving the underground sewage flow but admitted to delays.

“Frequent clogging happens because of garbage dumped by residents. Moreover, our work was delayed by the monsoon,” the official said.

Traffic chaos at major junctions

The rain led to massive traffic snarls stretching for over 3 km on the downward ramp to Bommanahalli, according to traffic police.

“There is severe waterlogging on the exit ramp from the Silk Board flyover towards Bommanahalli. With service roads choked, our teams are diverting vehicles to inner roads,” said a police official at Madiwala.

In Bellandur, police said the situation was aggravated by two-wheeler riders parking under flyovers to escape the rain. “Cars get stuck between parked bikes, causing jams for nearly 2 km. Although the rain stopped by 7:30 pm, traffic took another 20 minutes to clear,” a Bellandur police official said.

A recurring problem

Urban experts noted that despite repeated flooding in Bengaluru’s low-lying areas, drain management and road planning remain key challenges. The city’s expanding infrastructure, combined with heavy rainfall events, continues to test the resilience of its civic systems.