Cyclone Gaja effect: Wind speed increases fourfold in Bengaluru

TNN

November 17, 2018

Bengaluru, Nov 17: Gaja, the cyclonic storm that has swept parts of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, has had its impact on Bengaluru too. Wind speeds in the city increased by four times the daily average for 24 hours between Thursday morning and Friday. This has caused concern among commuters, especially those who drive on elevated roads in the city.

Bengaluru, on average, experiences a wind speed of about 4-6kmph. But between 9.25am on Thursday and the same time on Friday, the weatherman said the speed averaged at 16kmph. In fact, the highest speed recorded during the said time was 32kmph, which is about eight times the daily average.

According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) centre in Bengaluru, the wind speed varied between 16kmph and 20kmph.

IMD Bengaluru director CS Patil explained, “Wind speed in the city increased because of Gaja, which caused the pressure to fall in the areas it passed through and surroundings.”

While people commuting at the surface level did not notice the change given that buildings and other structures offset the speed, those who used elevated roads and flyovers — like on Mysuru Road — faced the strong wind. Motorists heading from Sirsi Circle said the wind was travelling in the opposite direction, which reduced the pace of the vehicles. They even complained of their vehicles drifting from one side of the road to another.

Urging people not to panic, Patil said only wind speed above 50kmph could cause any serious concern. “Only when the speed crosses 62kmph do we call it a cyclonic storm,” he said.

BBMP and police officials said no untoward incidents were reported due to the cyclone’s effect in the city, barring one case of a tree falling in RT Nagar, north Bengaluru, early Friday.

Comments

Add new comment

Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.

Air India Express brings back Mangaluru–Muscat direct flights from March 2026

News Network

December 15,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 15: Air India Express has announced that it will resume direct flight services between Mangaluru and Muscat from March 2026, restoring an important international air link for passengers from the coastal region.

Airport authorities said the service will operate twice a week—on Sundays and Tuesdays—from March 1. The initial flights are scheduled on March 3, 8 and 10, followed by March 15 and 17, with the same operating pattern to continue thereafter. The flight duration is approximately three hours and 25 minutes.

The Mangaluru–Muscat route was earlier operated under the 2025 summer schedule, with services beginning on July 14. At that time, Air India Express had operated four flights a week before suspending the service.

Officials said the summer schedule will come into effect from March 29, after which changes in flight timings and departure schedules from Mangaluru are expected. Passengers have been advised to check the latest schedules while planning their travel.

The resumption of direct flights to Muscat is expected to significantly benefit expatriates, business travellers and others, further strengthening Mangaluru’s air connectivity with the Gulf region.

Comments