Waterlogging & traffic jams in Bengaluru following early morning showers
Bengaluru (PTI): Waterlogging and traffic jams were reported in various parts of the city on Monday following early morning showers.
Peak hour traffic jams and inundated roads in several areas, especially in the northern and eastern parts of the city, particularly inconvenienced office-goers and school-going children.
Areas such as Outer Ring Road (ORR) between Nagawara Junction and Hebbal, and Veerasandra on the Electronics City road, parts of Hosur Road and Bannerghatta Road, were severely affected, official sources said.
Heavy waterlogging was witnessed on ORR at Marathalli, Karthik Nagar and Kalyan Nagar, Puttenahalli, Varthur Kodi, Panathur Main Road, among others, they said, adding, efforts have been made to restore free movement of traffic.
Some houses and residential layouts in low lying areas were affected by waterlogging and water gushing into the premises, officials said. Several underpasses were also inundated.
Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, who is also in-charge of Bengaluru development, visited some of the rain-affected areas to assess the situation.
"If water has entered apartments and houses, let's rectify it. We want the ground water levels to increase," he said.
Noting that areas around Bengaluru like Ramanagra, Channapatna, Kanakapura, Magadi, Tumakuru, Kunigal and Kolar have not received good rains, he further said: "Malnad, coastal and other places have received rains so that dams are filled, but here rains are not enough, ground water levels have to increase."
Bangalore South MP and BJP leader Tejasvi Surya said the waterlogging and flooding in Bengaluru, after a few hours of rain in the early morning, once again exposed the absence of municipal leadership in the city.
"For long, we have implemented band-aid solutions to Bengaluru's traffic problem and poor urban infra, instead of approaching it from the perspective of a well-structured town planning body. Such solutions only fix the symptom and is not the remedy for the problem itself, he posted on 'X'.
He said 'Brand Bengaluru' stands for technology innovation, unmatched talent pool and rich local culture, but sadly, "only the traffic, water logging, potholes and garbage management issues seem to be marking our brand."
"I had highlighted how the city lacks a directly-elected mayor with a workable term of 3-5 years who can be held accountable for the city's urban infra. Global cities like London, New York and Paris have such strong powerful mayors looking solely into the city's needs," Surya said.
He said the Congress government has neither taken any step to form the Bengaluru Metropolitan Land Transport Authority nor has it delegated traffic engineers any power to plan the traffic management of the city. "Unless we take up town planning and rework on our layouts, 'Brand Bengaluru' will remain a dream."
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Rahul Gandhi to go on two-day Raebareli visit from May 19
Raebareli (UP) (PTI): Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Congress MP from Raebareli Rahul Gandhi will arrive here on May 19 on a two-day visit, a Congress office-bearer said on Monday.
Congress district president of Raebareli Pankaj Tiwari said that on the first day, Gandhi will inaugurate a marriage hall at Thakurain Kheda in Bachhrawan. Subsequently, he will address a public meeting in Khiron. In Lalganj, he will participate in a 'mahila samvaad' programme.
He further said that on May 20, he will meet the public during a 'Janata Darshan' programme at the Bhuyemau Guest House. Following this, he will participate in the unveiling of a statue of Veera Pasi and attend a public meeting in Lodhwari.
He will then depart for Amethi.
In Amethi, Gandhi will hold meetings with party functionaries, workers and senior leaders at the party's district headquarters, Congress district unit chief Pradeep Singhal said on Sunday.
According to political observers, this meeting would form a part of the strategic preparations for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, alongside an organisational review.
Discussions during the meeting are likely to focus on strengthening the party organisation down to the booth level, increasing participation of youth and women workers, and accelerating public outreach campaigns across villages.
According to sources, a large number of party workers -- from Gram Sabha to the district level -- have been invited to attend the meeting.
Gandhi is expected to interact directly with workers.
During the one-day visit, the Congress leader will also travel to Poore Ramdeen Pandit -- the native village of late Congress district president Yogendra Mishra -- to meet his family members.
Mishra, considered a close associate of the Gandhi family, passed away on March 1 following a prolonged illness.
Political activities in the district have intensified ahead of Gandhi's visit, and party workers have already started making arrangements for his reception.
Kishori Lal Sharma, the Congress MP from Amethi, is also holding regular meetings with local leaders and functionaries to review the preparations.
