Massive traffic jam on Bengaluru-Mysuru highway as lake breaches due to rain
Traffic along the Bengaluru-Mysuru highway slowed to a sluggish pace for hours as roads were inundated due to the recent rains. In the wee hours of Saturday, August 27, the heavy rains caused the Kanmanike lake, which lies between Kengeri and the Wonderla amusement park near Bidadi, to overflow and flood the highway. As a result, traffic slowed to a snail’s pace as vehicles tried to navigate the inundated road.
Those travelling from Bengaluru to Mysuru and other places for the weekend were in for a frustrating shock as vehicles had piled up for kilometres between Kengeri and Bidadi. Many took to social media to warn others not to travel through this route, calling the situation a “nightmare” and “disaster”. Visuals shared by them show the vehicles trying to navigate the roads, as the flood water reached the tyres of even trucks and lorries.
According to reports, a road connecting the Mysuru highway to a village in Ramanagara collapsed after the Kanmanike lake overflowed, and a newly-constructed toll booth — part of the highly awaited revamped Bengaluru-Mysuru highway — was almost submerged in water. Officials say that the traffic jam due to the situation still persists, and have asked people to avoid the route for the next few hours.
Bengaluru has been seeing spells of light to heavy rains over the past few days. The India Meteorological Department, in its bulletin on Saturday morning, said that the city will have overcast skies over the next 48 hours. Further, light to moderate rains with thunderstorms are expected during this time as well. The weather watchdog has issued a yellow warning for the city on Saturday, August 27.
Traffic Jam starting from Kengeri to Bidadi (Mysore Road) from today morning…..Plan your travel accordingly !!@kengeritrfps @blrcitytraffic @BlrCityPolice pic.twitter.com/NHzRSLdOE9
— Abhishek Raju (@thelessknown) August 27, 2022
Newly constructed toll booth inundated following lake breach at Inorapalya on Bengaluru-#MysoreRoad (close to Wonder La gate). #BengaluruRains @DeccanHerald pic.twitter.com/FvkTDPV30T
— Pushkar V (@pushkarv) August 27, 2022
In its bulletin, the IMD said that rain and thunderstorms are likely over the next 48 hours in most places in coastal and south interior Karnataka, and in many places in north interior Karnataka as well.