Bengaluru:

The Bengaluru-Mysore highway in Karnataka, which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi six days back, was inundated following heavy rains in the state’s Ramanagara region on Friday night.

The highway road, built at a cost of Rs 8,480 crore, was inundated near Bengaluru, in Ramanagara district. Water remained stagnant in the underbridge on the highway, causing a series of bumper-to-bumper accidents, resulting in slow-moving vehicles and prolonged traffic jams on the highway.

This is the same underbridge that was flooded last year when Karnataka received unprecedented rains.

Some agitated commuters lashed out against Chief Minister BS Bommai and the PM for damaging their vehicles and questioned whether the highway was ready for inauguration.

“My Maruti Swift car was half-submerged in a water-filled underbridge. It came off, and a lorry coming from behind hit my car. Who will be held responsible for this? I will ask CM Bommai to repair my car Requesting to get it done. PM Modi inaugurated the highway, did he also check with his road and transport ministry whether the road is ready for inauguration? Should we suffer for vote bank politics? They ask for heavy toll fee Yes, what’s the use?” a commuter Vikas told NDTV.

Another agitated commuter, Nagaraju, who said his vehicle was the first in the bumper-to-bumper accidents, questioned who would be held responsible for the accidents. He said that if the PM had come, he would have cleared the waterlogging in 10 minutes.

“Soon the underbridge started flooding, several accidents were reported. First was mine…and then there was a series of bumper to bumper accidents involving seven to eight vehicles. There is no place for the water to recede If there is news of PM’s arrival, they will clear this waterlogging in 10 minutes. Can’t you see that we common people are suffering? Who is responsible for this?” Nagaraju said.

PM Modi inaugurated the 118 km long Bengaluru-Mysore Expressway on 12 March, which reduced the travel time from three hours to about 75 minutes.

The six-laning Bengaluru-Nidaghatta-Mysore section of NH 275 is expected to act as a catalyst for socio-economic development in the region.