Overnight rain floods Bengaluru roads, traffic police issue multiple advisories amid morning chaos

Bengaluru faces flooding at key junctions, disrupting traffic and prompting advisories from authorities.

A fresh spell of heavy overnight rain on Sunday wreaked havoc across Bengaluru, leading to severe waterlogging in several parts of the city and bringing Monday morning traffic to a near standstill. As thousands of office-goers hit the roads, many were met with flooded junctions and bottlenecked routes, leaving traffic personnel struggling to manage the chaos on the ground.

Overnight Bengaluru rains flood roads across the city, creating massive traffic chaos in several roads.

Key intersections across the city, particularly in north and east Bengaluru — areas that house several IT parks and corporate hubs — were inundated, resembling flowing streams rather than arterial roads.

Police issue traffic advisories

With traffic crawling on key stretches, the Bengaluru Traffic Police issued multiple advisories, warning commuters about waterlogged roads and urging them to drive with caution. The advisory highlighted slow-moving traffic and water accumulation in several critical areas, including:

New BEL Road near Ayyappa Temple

Nagawara Bus Stop heading towards Sarayipalya

Allasandra to Yelahanka Circle corridor

In addition, the notorious Panathur Road underbridge (RUB), which often bears the brunt of rains, was once again submerged on Monday morning. This vital stretch, used by hundreds of tech employees daily, prompted yet another advisory:

"Water logging reported at Balagere T Cross en route to Panathur RUB. Commuters advised to take alternate routes. Drive cautiously and maintain safe distance. Dial 112 for emergencies."

The Outer Ring Road, Bengaluru’s already overburdened IT corridor, also saw widespread waterlogging at key choke points. Areas flagged by the police included:

Silk Board to Agara Signal

Kensington Road toward Gurudwara

Silk Board to Bellandur

Lowry Railway Underpass to Mahadevapura

According to the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC), parts of Bengaluru recorded rainfall totals not seen in decades for the month of May. The Bengaluru Urban zone logged 132 mm of rainfall overnight, while the observatory in Somasettihalli, under Bengaluru North, registered 119 mm.

Meteorologists noted that these rainfall levels are among the highest recorded in May in recent history — a rare phenomenon that underscores the increasing unpredictability of the city’s weather patterns.

With civic infrastructure once again under strain, residents took to social media to share videos of submerged roads and stranded vehicles, renewing calls for the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to ramp up monsoon preparedness.

Despite repeated assurances from civic authorities, the city’s flood-prone zones continue to remain vulnerable even after moderate spells of rain. Monday's disruptions highlighted the urgent need for long-term drainage solutions and better coordination between weather forecasting agencies and civic bodies.