Heavy Rains Lash Bengaluru: IT Companies Opt for Work-from-Home as Orange Alert Issued
Heavy Rains Lash Bengaluru: IT Companies Opt for Work-from-Home as Orange Alert Issued
Bengaluru witnessed yet another bout of intense pre-monsoon thunderstorms on Tuesday, throwing daily life out of gear and prompting IT companies to ask their employees to work from home. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for the city for the next two days, warning of more heavy rainfall and thunderstorms, while a red alert remains in place for Karnataka as a whole.
The Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC) has also predicted extremely heavy rain with thunderstorms and lightning on Wednesday, May 21. The weather pattern is expected to persist with continued heavy rainfall through May 22, 23, and up to May 26.
The past week has seen Karnataka inundated, with 23 of the state’s 31 districts recording significantly above-average rainfall—many by over 60%. Bengaluru Urban alone has recorded 278 mm of rain between May 1 and 20, which is a staggering 157% above the usual for this period and nearly 20% of the district’s total annual rainfall. The IMD’s Bengaluru City observatory registered 37 mm of rainfall in just the 24 hours leading up to Tuesday morning.
Several localities saw even higher rainfall totals. Rajarajeshwari Nagar recorded 150 mm, R R Nagara 159 mm, Kengeri 144 mm, Vidyapeeta 128 mm, Nayandahalli 123 mm, and Doresanipalya 99 mm within the same time frame. The intense rains have left major stretches of the city waterlogged, leading to widespread traffic snarls.
All companies in Bengaluru, including Infosys, must declare two days of work from home due to rains.
— P C Mohan (@PCMohanMP) May 19, 2025
The traffic police reported slow-moving congestion across multiple zones including Hosur Road, Iblur Junction, Kasthuri Nagar, Hoodi, Bannerghatta Main Road, Balekundri Junction, Queens Road, and around the Silk Board Metro Station. Hosur Road—especially the section covering Electronic City—had to be temporarily closed around 9:30 a.m. and was reopened at 10:45 a.m. The area houses major IT hubs including Infosys, Wipro, and TCS, among others.
Due to the adverse weather and transport disruptions, many companies in the stretch between KR Puram and Silk Board have advised employees to work remotely. Public frustration is mounting. One commuter, Reshma Nair, posted on X:
IMD forecasts heavy rain in Bengaluru until Thursday. I urge civic authorities to activate emergency plans: clear drains, deploy quick-response teams, monitor low-lying areas, set up helplines and ensure public safety. Timely action can prevent avoidable hardship. pic.twitter.com/Dmxjhi2V1G
— P C Mohan (@PCMohanMP) May 19, 2025
“Left Electronic City at 8 AM as flyovers were blocked. Got stuck near Kudlu Gate—buses not moving. 7 km in 2+ hours. Elderly people, office-goers, all stranded. This isn’t the Bengaluru we knew.”
Even political leaders weighed in. Bengaluru Central MP PC Mohan tweeted,
“All companies in Bengaluru, including Infosys, must declare two days of work from home due to rains.”
Meanwhile, Bangalore South MP Tejasvi Surya took a sharp jab at the ruling Congress government, posting:
“Two years of @INCKarnataka’s #LootSarkara. Achievements? 1. Governance = Zero 2. Taxpayers = Freebie ATMs 3. Law & Order = Missing 4. Corruption = Maxed out Brand Bengaluru? Collapsing with every rain. Citizens want governance, not gimmicks. Karnataka deserves better.”
Two years of @INCKarnataka's #LootSarkara.
— Tejasvi Surya (@Tejasvi_Surya) May 20, 2025
Achievements?
1. Governance = Zero
2. Taxpayers = Freebie ATMs
3. Law & Order = Missing
4. Corruption = Maxed out
Brand Bengaluru? Collapsing with every rain.
Citizens want governance, not gimmicks.
Karnataka deserves better. pic.twitter.com/L2sSiC2HUC
The city had already been battered by heavy overnight rain between Sunday and Monday. Several areas clocked over 100 mm of rainfall during those six hours, flooding low-lying neighborhoods and stranding residents.
Tragedy struck as well. A 35-year-old woman lost her life when a compound wall at an IT firm collapsed during the downpour. In another heartbreaking incident, a woman and a 12-year-old boy—son of a helper in the Madhuvana Apartment in BTM Second Stage—were electrocuted while attempting to clear floodwater from the basement.
As the rains continue, authorities remain on high alert, and residents are urged to stay indoors unless travel is absolutely necessary. With the IMD’s forecasts indicating more intense showers ahead, the city braces for a prolonged spell of weather-related disruptions.
