Bengaluru Rains Stop, But Traffic Bottlenecks Grip Busy Routes

After a relentless barrage of rain that began on the night of November 30 and continued until December 3, Bengaluru is finally seeing some respite. Even though, the skies remain overcast, hinting that the wet weather may not be entirely behind us. Unfortunately, the overnight deluge did lead to significant traffic disruptions in the early hours of Tuesday morning i.e December 3.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted yellow alert - light to moderate rain, with possible heavy showers across Bengaluru and other parts of Karnataka over the coming 24 hours. Coastal regions, particularly the Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts, have been inundated with heavy rainfall. In light of the weather conditions, administrations in nine districts have declared a holiday for schools and colleges.

While the incessant rain that soaked Bengaluru on December 2 has ceased, cloudy conditions persist. The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) reported that, aside from a few fallen trees and branches, there were no significant flooding incidents in the city. However, several key roads-including stretches of Outer Ring Road, Mysuru Road, Bannerghatta Road, Marathahalli, Sarjapur Road, and Shanti Nagar Road-experienced flooding. Motorists struggled to navigate these waterlogged areas both during the night of December 2 and in the morning of December 3.

In the early hours, a tree fell near Vidhana Soudha, but quick action from the Forest Department ensured it was cleared. Other reports of downed trees came from J.P. Nagar, Wilson Garden, and Basaveshwaranagar, but overall, there was no major damage reported across the city.

Morning showers, ongoing construction work, and fog, compounded by the usual peak-hour traffic, led to severe congestion, particularly on the Outer Ring Road (ORR) in eastern Bengaluru. The traffic police highlighted that the section between Silk Board and Marathahalli junction faced especially notable delays due to simultaneous infrastructure projects.

"Metrorail work, including electrical cabling, is being carried out by the BMRCL along the ORR," explained M N Anucheth, Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic). "At the same time, the BBMP is engaged in clearing stormwater drains as well as undertaking road resurfacing efforts, adding to