With few buses and taxis plying regular routes, commuters turned to Namma Metro, which saw an increase in ridership.
Water-logged roads and the lack of cabs and buses made it an almost impossible task to return home. But, Metro services remained unaffected. There were reports of water seeping into some stations, but this did not affect operations, BMRCL officials said.
The rush in the Metro was more than usual, commuters said. BMRCL continued operating trains from all four terminating stations even after 11.30 p.m. to help stranded commuters get back home.
In several areas, buses operated by the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) were found parked by the side of the road or stuck in water with no passengers. The Shantinagar depot of the BMTC was inundated, but officials said that operations were not affected as the buses had left the depot by the time the rains started, said officials.
A BMTC bus was stranded near Electronics City, and had to to be towed.
Cabs were not available across the city. Most people were left to fend for themselves. “I tried for over 30 minutes to find a cab and finally had to settle for a shared ride. This happens every time it starts raining in the city,” said Valerie D'costa, who lives in Domlur.