Rain throws life out of gear for motorists

Sanjay R. Murty | NT

 Bengaluru

 Several areas in Bengaluru continued to face waterlogging as the wet spell took a heavy toll on the city’s crumbling infrastructure. Moderate to heavy rainfall was seen in the afternoon on Friday mainly in the central, eastern and south-eastern parts of the city.

The BBMP received complaints of tree fall from Halasur, Banaswadi and Begur on Friday. In Bellandur, the road behind Passport Seva Kendra was inundated with knee-deep water. People had to wade through the waterlogged road, unsure of what they might step on. While tractors and goods vehicles passed through the stretch, cars and two-wheelers had to struggle.

Some two-wheeler riders were seen turning away, while some others braved the flooded stretch. In some cases the two-wheeler engines turned off, forcing riders to push the vehicle out of the water logged road

Many delivery personnel carrying food, groceries or other items found it extremely challenging to navigate through such roads, and had to ensure that their bags did not get wet.

A portion of Chinnappanahalli Main Road (near Marathahalli) that runs parallel to a railway line was closed for four-wheelers and heavy vehicles. The road is at a height from the railway track that runs next to it. Local residents told News Trail that it was closed by BBMP authorities to avoid heavy vehicles from using the road as it may cause the wet soil along the railway track to collapse.

Motorists and pedestrians using the interior roads of Marathahalli had a tough time manoeuvring through pothole-ridden roads filled with rain water. Some two-wheeler riders were seen seeking help from passers-by to drive through huge potholes. Similar scenes were sighted in Garudacharpalya where uncleared garbage added to the misery of road users on some lanes. Slow movement of traffic also led to traffic snarls at many junctions