Bengaluru’s Electronics City flyover flooded, techies abandon cabs to walk home

The flooding on Electronics City flyover caused severe traffic congestion on Hosur Road for more than two hours

Commuters, especially techies, again found themselves stuck in traffic jams and were forced to abandon their vehicles, as heavy rain in parts of Bengaluru left a major flyover and some roads waterlogged on October 23.

The flooding of the 9.9 km-long elevated expressway from the Central Silk Board Junction to Electronics City slowed the traffic to almost a halt on the Hosur Road, forcing many to leave office cabs and buses to walk home. The flyover, which opened in 2010, was designed to reduce travel time to Electronics City, home to companies such as Infosys and Biocon.

The government had advised work from home and ordered schools shut after the weather department issued yellow alert for rain for October 23.

Also, read: Bengaluru rains: Karnataka forms committee with industry leaders to fix tech hub infra woes

Commuters took to social media to vent their anger. A user on the X platform, @PratikfamHouse, wrote: "Completely jammed for the past 1.5 hours on the #electroniccity flyover. I should have been home by now, 30 km away. Logged out at 5:20pm, and we're still stuck! We can see many employees of various companies frustrated and starting to walk."

Completely Jammed from past 1.5 hrs in the #electroniccity flyover. I must have reached my home now which is 30kms away. Logged out at 5:20 and we are still stuck! We can see most of the employees of various companies frustrated and starting to walk. @madivalatrfps pic.twitter.com/wqvXuIArN6
KpopStan (@PratikfamHouse) October 23, 2024

Another user posted, "It took more than three hours to get from Electronic City to Silk Board. Thank God I took the police’s advice and avoided the flyover."

The traffic police closed the city end of the flyover due to waterlogging at Roopena Agrahara. Officials said Hosur Road faced heavy waterlogging at Central Silk Board, Bommanahalli, and BTM Layout 2nd Stage due to heavy rain.

Sophia Vijay (@sansofibm) wrote on X: "Complete chaos!! If there's a medical emergency in this situation, there's no chance of survival. The Electronic City flyover towards Madiwala is almost completely jammed. Vehicles haven’t moved for nearly 2.5 hours over just 2 km”

Also, read: Bengaluru rains: Silk Board has turned into a river, complain motorists. Watch

Complete chaos!!In this situation, if there is a medical emergency then there is no chances of survival. Electronic City flyover towards Madiwala is almost completely jammed Vehicles were not at all moving almost 2.30hrs for just 2 km #Bengaluru #Bengalururains pic.twitter.com/zwoqAjdEES Sophia Vijay (@sansofibm) October 23, 2024

Many commuters slammed the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for the waterlogging on the toll road. One user remarked, "A big shoutout to your team for compounding our traffic problems in Bangalore. This is the Electronic City toll road. Jam is due to waterlogging. Super waste of taxes and toll money. Keep it up!”

@blrcitytraffic @CPBlr thousands of people are stuck on ecity flyover for the last 100mins or more. Theres no movement at all from 6pm towards silkboard. Can you please help https://t.co/d0DdQQqcMY
Shilpa Rao (@shilgiri_rao) October 23, 2024

Many commuters pointed that Bengaluru Metro’s Yellow Line, connecting RV Road to Bommasandra and originally scheduled for completion in December 2021, would have eased the traffic burden on Hosur Road. The section has been delayed due to the shortage of train sets.

Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) now plans to commission the line in January. "The first batch of trains will arrive by November- December 2024. The section will be launched with three train sets in January 2025, with 30-minute intervals," said a BMRCL official.

Also, read: Major stations first: Bengaluru Metro scrambles with plan B for Electronics City line due to train crunch