Heavy downpour lashes Bengaluru, disrupts flights

A downpour lashed IT capital Bengaluru, bringing respite from the sweltering summer heat, but caused major traffic disruption on arterial roads, especially leading to the Bengaluru International Airport due to inundation and haphazard vehicle parking.

The Meteorological Department has predicted cloudy weather and the possibility of rain until March 27.

Following the heavy rain, the airport authorities diverted 10 aircraft to Chennai, causing severe inconvenience to the air travellers.

The Air India and IndiGo airlines issued advisories to travellers due to rain disruption. They appealed to the travellers to check the status of the flight and also offered rebooking options.

IndiGo, in its latest update on X, stated, "We wanted to keep you informed that the air traffic congestion in Bengaluru has started to ease. However, it may take some time for the flight schedules to completely stabilise due to the cascading impact of bad weather earlier.

"We recommended staying updated on your flight status before starting your journey. In the event of cancellations, you may opt for an alternate flight or claim a refund easily via our website.

"We remain committed to ensuring your journey is smooth and safe. We are working to get you on your way at the earliest,” it added.

Air India stated, "Due to adverse weather conditions in Bengaluru, flight operations are currently impacted, resulting in air traffic congestion. We advise all our passengers to check their flight status before proceeding to the airport.”

Heavy rainfall in Bengaluru has resulted in waterlogging in several areas. Roads in Ramamurthy Nagar, KR Puram, Kasturi Nagar, and other parts of the city have been inundated, leading to traffic congestion.

Traffic police have advised motorists to drive slowly.

In Yelahanka, heavy rain caused disruptions, with rainwater entering more than 10 houses. The summer showers also led to the collapse of a compound wall near Byatarayanapura in Yelahanka, completely flooding the road.

Waterlogging near the MMT bus stop on the route from Kasturi Nagar to MMT Junction (KR Puram) is slowing down traffic towards Whitefield, Mahadevapura, and KR Puram, causing heavy traffic jams in the IT corridor.

Indo-Asian News Service