Bangalore turns Mumbai for a day!

Bangalore turns Mumbai for a day!
The Times of India

Bangalore: Bad timing or bad luck — home-bound commuters were in no mood to analyse the matter on Wednesday evening when a long overdue spell of rain left them waterlogged, powerless and stranded on roads.

The skies witnessed strong cloud formation leading to a good 30.5-mm rain (till 8.30 pm) on Wednesday. The spell of heavy rain is likely in the next few days, says the MET office. “The coming days will be cloudy.”

Parts of west Bangalore received heavy rainfall. The BCC control room received complaints of waterlogging from Coffee Board area, M.S. Building, Bellary Road, High Grounds police station and Mysore Road flyover. A huge tree was reportedly uprooted in Mathikere. Traffic was slow paced with incidences of minor accidents.

Electricity went off in many places as soon as the rains started: M.G. Road was a casualty and soon the diesel fumes of generators were adding to general stench of soaked garbage in the rain-filled air. Those dependent on autorickshaws had not just the stench to contend with, they had to shell out exorbitant sums to rickshaw drivers who took advantage of the rain and demanded “double meter’’ rates.

Bescom officials maintained there were no “widespread’’ problems but elderly residents like retired admiral O.S. Dawson begged to differ. “The light went off the minute the rain started. Now, I have to go around hunting for a candle in the dark,’’ Dawson, an elderly man who lives alone on Viviani Road, said.

The reason for the electricity going off in his area was that a feeder at Banaswadi developed a problem. “There have been feeder problems in Peenya, NGEF and Rajarajeswarinagar also. We have had some complaints from residents, but these problems are being attended to,’’ Bescom officials said. CCD telephone lines remained continuously engaged for over three hours, making residents even angrier.