Lake breach floods Mysore Road, traffic diverted

NT Correspondent

 Bengaluru

A portion of the Bengaluru Mysuru Highway got flooded on Saturday due to a lake breach causing traffic gridlocks between Kengeri and Bidadi. The road was inundated after the Kanmanike Lake overflowed following torrential rains on Friday.

 However, the road was reopened to traffic after the flood waters receded. Thousands of vehicles got stuck on the highway and the police had a tough time. After some hours, the cops diverted the traffic through other routes to reach Mysuru or Bengaluru.

 The districts of Mysuru, Mandya, Ramanagar and Bengaluru rural recorded heavy rains on Friday night and all water tanks got filled to the brim. Several tanks breached resulting in the water entering the highway.

 A newly-built toll plaza at Seshagirihalli near Hejjala on the highway was also flooded. This was the first toll naka that was ready for functioning and it got submerged even before it was inaugurated. Commuters

 shared their plight on social media by tweeting photographs and videos of the flooded highway. A road that connects Inorapalya village collapsed after the Kanmanike Lake breach.

The Hanganur tank near Channapatna Town in Ramanagara district got filled after 30 years. The water spilled over to the highway and motorists had a tough time negotiating the inundated road.

Traffic advisory

The Ramanagara District Police issued an advisory on Saturday asking commuters to use alternate routes toward Mysuru for three days.

 The police suggested the Bengaluru – Kanakapura – Mysuru and the Bengaluru – Kunigal – Mysuru route in the statement as the stretch of the highway near Bidadi was flooded and blocked with traffic.

However, the road was opened up to traffic by Saturday evening as water had receded. The district police told News Trail that commuters could use the road but are still advised to take the other routes just in case the area receives heavy rains again.