Bengaluru Traffic Woes Return after Diwali Holidays

Bengaluru, Karnataka city's Diwali holidays stretched much over the expected date, and hundreds of thousands of residents, along with their families and dependents, returned home today from neighbouring districts and other states. Key entry points into the heart of this city were severely congealed, causing chaos during commutes and grumpy travellers.

Tumakuru Road, Old Madras Road, Ballari Road, Mysuru Road, and Rajkumar Road were major arterial roads that were very badly affected. Pedestrians, autos, and taxis in the Majestic area's prime transport hub worsened the jams by moving on narrow roads.
Commuters were stuck for three to four hours with vehicles stalling for kilometres. Public transport, including buses, cabs, and metro, found it difficult to contend with the high passenger load.

The Namma Metro had queues stretching half a kilometre in length at times. The suburban trains were overcrowded and had people standing and spilling into the aisles. The Bengaluru Traffic Police had taken measures to regulate the situation, including diversions and additional personnel, but the sheer volume of commuters overwhelmed key roads.

Citizens are up in arms over the city's preparedness and raising questions about traffic management and public transport capacity. They are asking for faster development of the infrastructure, particularly rail service.

Experts believe that with an increasing number of people visiting Bengaluru, there will be tremendous pressure on infrastructure and public transport during peak holiday seasons. According to them, the development of the metro and suburban rail network should be accelerated along with the enhancement of road capacity and effective traffic management.

The authorities should also reexamine their management protocol regarding traffic to help in achieving a better travel time.

Also read: Nagula Chavithi 2024: Importance, Rituals, Why & When it is Celebrated?