Rain fury: Bengaluru-Mysuru highway flooded again, Ramanagara submerged as Kanva river overflows

Former CM and local MLA H D Kumaraswamy visited the inundated highway in Ramanagar to review the situation; Chamarajanagara district administration announced a holiday for schools and colleges on Monday

Heavy rain continued to lash Bengaluru on August 29, leading to heavy traffic snarls in various parts of the city during peak hours. For the second time in less than a week, the Mysuru-Bengaluru highway was flooded on Monday disrupting vehicle movement in Ramanagar, even up to Channapatna. Vehicles are being diverted to alternative roads by local authorities. 

Parts of Ramanagara were so severely inundated that passengers on a bus had to be rescued after the vehicle got submerged in the water that had flooded an underpass. Former Karnataka Chief Minister and local MLA H D Kumaraswamy visited the inundated Bengaluru-Mysuru highway in Ramanagar to review the situation.

Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation(KSRTC) in a statement said that Bengaluru-Mysuru buses were diverted via Harohalli-Kanakapura-Halagur-Malavalli-Mysuru due to heavy rains in Ramanagara, Channapatna and Mandya. 

Following incessant downpour, the Chamarajanagara district administration announced a holiday for schools and colleges in the district for Monday.

Meanwhile, office-goers in Bengaluru had to face clogged and damaged roads leading to massive traffic jams in several parts of the city. Prathap Krishna, a motorist who took the Outer Ring Road (ORR) near JP Nagar to reach his office on Monday morning said, “Roads have been flooded and sinking near Vega City mall and JP Nagar ORR. Travelling on roads is going to be a nightmare.”

According to traffic police, traffic snarls have been reported in Central Business District (CBD) area, Mysuru road, Bannerghatta road, Tumakuru road, Hebbal, KR Puram, Bellandur, JP Nagara, Silk Board junction, BTM Layout, Rajajinagara and Koramangala. 

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) in its forecast said that in the next 24 hours, Bengaluru will have a generally cloudy sky. “Few spells of light to moderate rain/thundershowers very likely. Maximum and minimum temperatures are very likely to be around 28 and 19 degree Celsius respectively.” IMD said in the statement.