Panathur underbridge waterlogging in Bengaluru stranded a car after a brief spell of rain on Friday, with rapidly rising water reaching close to the vehicle’s windows before members of the public helped the occupant escape. No injuries were reported in the incident, according to the Times of India report, which cited news agency ANI and officials.
Visuals shared on social media showed a white sedan stalled midway through the Panathur Railway Underbridge and partially submerged in floodwater. The water rose quickly enough to catch the driver off guard, leaving the vehicle unable to move through the underpass.
Members of the public rushed to the vehicle, assisted the stranded occupant to safety and pushed the sedan towards higher ground, officials told ANI, according to the report. The incident did not result in reported injuries, but the depth and speed of the water renewed concerns about the safety of the underbridge during rainfall.
The Panathur underbridge is located about 2km from Bengaluru’s Outer Ring Road and serves as an important connection between the technology corridor and residential areas including Varthur, Balagere and Whitefield. The route is used by commuters travelling between employment hubs and rapidly expanding neighbourhoods in east Bengaluru.
Waterlogging at the underpass has remained a concern for commuters during rains. Social media users criticised the authorities after the latest incident and questioned why the structure remained vulnerable to flooding despite being a key route in the city’s IT corridor. One social media account that shared the video said the underbridge was still not fit for all-weather use nearly a decade after it became a commuter link, the report said.
The incident also brings renewed attention to the risks associated with vehicle movement through low-lying underpasses during short periods of intense rain. Unlike open road stretches, underpasses can collect water rapidly when drainage capacity is exceeded or when runoff has no immediate discharge route. The supplied report does not identify the specific drainage failure or name an authority responsible for the latest waterlogging.
Bengaluru has previously recorded a fatal incident involving a waterlogged underpass. In May 2023, 22-year-old Bhanurekha from Andhra Pradesh drowned after the car in which she was travelling with her family became stuck in floodwater at the KR Circle underpass near Vidhana Soudha.
The latest Panathur incident ended without reported casualties after bystanders intervened. Further action by the authorities on drainage, safety measures or the underbridge’s all-weather usability was not specified in the report.
