Bengaluru: Heavy overnight rain brought large parts of Bengaluru to a standstill, triggering severe waterlogging, flooded homes, traffic chaos and public outrage against civic authorities. Several residential layouts, roads and underpasses were submerged after intense rainfall battered the city.
Residents across affected areas complained of poor drainage planning, incomplete stormwater drain works and lack of coordination among civic agencies, blaming authorities for the repeated monsoon disasters in the city.
Car Trapped in Drain at Richmond Road
One of the major incidents was reported from Richmond Road, where a car got stuck inside a roadside drain amid heavy rainwater flow. Locals and residents struggled for hours to pull the vehicle out.
The frustrated car owner lashed out at the government and civic agencies, saying common citizens suffer huge financial losses every time it rains in Bengaluru.
More Than 300 Homes Flooded in Nagawara Area
Severe flooding was reported near MS Ramaiah North City Layout close to Nagawara and Elements Mall, where overflowing stormwater drains entered more than 300 houses.
According to residents, old drains had been broken as part of an ongoing drain widening project, causing rainwater and sewage water to flow back into residential areas.
Parking basements, roads and several vehicles were submerged as residents struggled to remove water using pump sets on their own.
Locals accused authorities of failing to complete drainage projects scientifically and alleged poor coordination between agencies including:
- BBMP
- BESCOM
- BWSSB
- Other civic departments
Residents warned that unless bottlenecks in the stormwater drainage network are fixed, flooding would continue every monsoon.
Apartments and Roads Submerged
Heavy flooding was also reported at:
- Horamavu
- HBR Layout
- Kalyan Nagar
- Several eastern Bengaluru neighbourhoods
Water entered apartments and basements, damaging parked cars and two-wheelers. Residents said they were left helpless as rainwater entered homes and residential complexes.
In Kalyan Nagar, more than 10 houses were flooded after roads disappeared under rainwater.
KR Circle Underpass Closed
The KR Circle underpass was temporarily closed after massive waterlogging. Authorities barricaded the stretch as a precautionary measure to prevent accidents.
Traffic movement was severely affected across:
- Vidhana Soudha Road
- Vikasa Soudha stretch
- MS Building Road
- NR Road
- Cubbon Park surroundings
- Mysore Bank Circle
Motorists remained stuck in long traffic jams for hours as vehicles moved slowly through flooded roads.
Several commuters complained that vehicles often break down whenever Bengaluru receives heavy rainfall.
Flight Operations Delayed at Bengaluru Airport
Heavy rain and thunderstorms around Devanahalli also affected operations at Kempegowda International Airport (KIA).
Due to poor visibility and runway conditions:
- Around 20 incoming flights were delayed
- 22 departing flights were also delayed
Passengers faced inconvenience as weather conditions disrupted flight schedules.
More Rain Likely Across Karnataka
Weather expert C.S. Patil warned that rainfall activity is likely to intensify further in the coming weeks, with the southwest monsoon expected to enter Karnataka during the first week of June.
He said several parts of the state could witness heavy rainfall in the coming days, while July is expected to bring widespread monsoon impact across Karnataka.
The latest rain chaos has once again raised serious questions over Bengaluru’s drainage infrastructure and the preparedness of civic agencies ahead of the monsoon season.
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