Bengaluru : The aftermath of the extended Diwali holidays saw Bengaluru grappling with intense traffic disruptions as thousands of residents returned to the city from neighbouring districts and states. The city’s roadways, particularly key routes leading into the heart of Bengaluru, experienced severe congestion on Monday morning, disrupting commutes and prompting frustration among travellers.
With residents from across Karnataka, and even neighbouring states such as Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana, making their way back to the city, traffic came to a standstill on several crucial roads. The impact was most evident on major arterial routes including Tumakuru Road, Old Madras Road, Ballari Road, Mysuru Road, Rajkumar Road, and the vicinity around the busy Majestic area. A steady stream of vehicles, many of which were heavily laden with holiday luggage, contributed to hours of gridlock that stretched well into the afternoon.
The situation was particularly bad on Tumakuru Road and Old Madras Road, where traffic congestion began from early morning and worsened as the day progressed. Both roads are major entry points to the city, and the bottlenecks caused significant delays for people trying to get to work, school, or home. Vehicles were reported to be stalled for kilometres, and commuters found themselves stuck for up to three to four hours, unable to progress towards their destinations.
In the heart of the city, near Majestic — a key transport hub where the KSRTC bus station and the railway station intersect — the traffic snarls were compounded by pedestrians, autos, and taxis navigating the narrow roads. The situation was made worse by the fact that many buses and cabs were delayed due to the congestion, causing even more commuters to scramble for alternate modes of transport.
The city’s public transport system, already burdened with high passenger volumes during the peak Diwali return period, struggled to cope with the surge. The Namma Metro, which has seen rapid expansion in recent years, was no exception. Passengers arriving at Nagsandra and Yeshwantpur metro stations faced long queues, with lines extending over half a kilometre at certain times. The Purple and Green lines, which connect key outlying districts to the city centre, were packed beyond capacity, adding to the stress of travellers.
Bengaluru’s suburban trains were also packed to the brim, with many passengers standing and even spilling into the aisles due to the influx of people returning from their hometowns. With many choosing to rely on public transport to avoid being stuck in traffic jams, trains, buses, and the metro were seen running at full capacity, offering little relief to commuters.
To manage the traffic chaos, the Bengaluru Traffic Police had initiated several measures starting from 2:15 a.m. on Monday. A series of diversions were put in place to ease the flow of vehicles, and additional personnel were deployed to monitor high-traffic zones. However, despite these efforts, the sheer volume of commuters returning from the long holiday break made it nearly impossible to alleviate congestion on key roads like Tumakuru and Old Madras.
Police had also asked commuters to use alternate routes to avoid certain heavily impacted areas, but the diversions were insufficient in controlling the overwhelming traffic flow. Some areas, such as Yeshwantpur and Nagsandra, faced severe bottlenecks, leading to growing frustration among motorists.
As the traffic situation worsened throughout the morning, images of long queues, jammed roads, and packed metro stations flooded social media. Many residents expressed dissatisfaction with the city’s preparedness for handling the Diwali rush, with some users questioning the efficiency of traffic management and the capacity of public transport.
One major concern raised by several citizens was the need for faster infrastructure development, particularly the expansion of rail services. The newly constructed Nagsandra–Madavara metro extension, which is expected to ease congestion along the Tumakuru Road corridor, has yet to become operational, and many commuters called for its immediate launch to reduce traffic on this route. Some suggested that Bengaluru needs more reliable, well-coordinated solutions for managing peak holiday traffic.
With Bengaluru’s population continuing to grow, experts warn that the city’s infrastructure and public transport systems will face increasing pressure during peak holiday seasons like Diwali. Many suggest that the city needs to accelerate its efforts to expand metro and suburban rail networks and improve road capacity.
Furthermore, better traffic management strategies, such as more efficient diversions and real-time updates for commuters, are needed to address such challenges. Some also pointed out that better crowd management at key transit hubs like Majestic and KR Market could help in reducing the overall pressure on roads and metro stations.
As Bengaluru recovers from the holiday chaos, authorities are being urged to revisit their traffic management protocols to ensure smoother travel during similar events in the future.
Read More: Youth Assaulted Over Intercommunity Messaging in Elimale, Hospitalized
