Traffic police said the water level was at least four feet high, making it impossible for taxis and cars to clear the way. During the night, a bus broke down while crossing the road, which blocked the road. Traffic jam for more than a kilometer
Traffic police said the water level was at least four feet high, making it impossible for taxis and cars to clear the way. During the night, a bus broke down while crossing the road, which blocked the road. Traffic jam for more than a kilometer
Several air travelers could not get their flights due to flooding on the national highway leading to Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) in Bengaluru. A lower section of the National Highway near the Indian Air Force base at Yelahanka was submerged heavy rain overnight, Passengers on their way to the airport got stuck on the highway (Ballari Road) and could not reach KIA in time to board their flights.
Traffic police said the water level was at least four feet high, making it impossible for taxis and cars to clear the way. During the night, a bus broke down while crossing the road, which blocked the road. The traffic jam continued for about a kilometer.
Sourav Sharma, who was stuck in traffic for about an hour, said, ‘I had gone to drop my family members at the airport. I was stuck for about an hour. There was no traffic moving at all. it’s pathetic. Road users are getting a raw deal despite paying hefty toll charges. It is very shameful on the part of NHAI that they are unable to fix the problem of water logging and inconvenience is being caused to the public.
Every day thousands of passengers use the highway to reach the airport.
Another passenger, Chandrashekhar, said, “Traffic from the flyover in front of the BSF Headquarters to the IAF base is piled up. It was really disappointing. Some taxi drivers took a left turn near the BSF headquarters and used the service road to reach the other end of the road. They drive in the opposite direction (to the traffic) because their customers were getting late. ,
Some passengers got off the taxi and boarded BMTC’s Vayu Vajra services to reach the airport as smaller vehicles could not cross the flooded area.
People vented their anger on social media.
Biswajit Rana said that his flight was missed due to the floods. He said that a passenger traveling by train from Majestic to Chennai will reach his destination faster than a person traveling from home to Bengaluru airport.
A police personnel manning the traffic near the flooded area said, ‘I have not left here since the night of May 17. Flooding is common here during rains, but NHAI did nothing to solve the problem. A bus met with an accident while crossing the flood-affected area. There is no service road near the IAF base, and all vehicles have to pass through the main lane. This has led to a pile-up of vehicles.”
It was not just the passengers who were on the receiving end. College going students also missed classes due to the jam.
BIAL, which operates KIA, issued an advisory stating that passengers headed to the airport may face slow-moving traffic due to water-logging and should plan their travel accordingly. Should be made For assistance, passengers may reach out to 080-22012001.