Vehicles stuck in a traffic jam on Hosur Road in Bengaluru on Wednesday.
| Photo Credit: PTI
On Wednesday (October 30, 2024), roads surrounding bus stations and railway stations in Bengaluru experienced significant congestion, resulting in severe gridlock owing to the holiday rush. The situation turned worse in the night, when the outgoing traffic, especially buses, increased.
As Deepavali and Kannada Rajyotsava approaches, the influx of vehicles in the city’s central areas created a ripple effect on the surrounding roads. Key stretches, including Mysuru Road, K.R. Circle, Seshadripuram, and Okalipuram, witnessed slowed vehicular movement, as did portions of Dr. Rajkumar Road and Tumakuru Road in Yeshwanthpur. Other areas such as Shanthinagar, Hebbal, and K.R. Puram also faced significant delays.
Even several residential neighbourhoods were caught in the web of traffic jams as residents prepared for Deepavali celebrations. Traffic police had their work cut out, attempting to maintain a smooth flow of vehicles on all routes leading to the Majestic area, a major transport hub in the city.
Roads like Kempe Gowda Road, J.C. Road near Town Hall, Platform Road, Seshadri Road, Goods Shed Road, and Cottonpet Main Road were particularly congested, with many vehicles stranded in the thick of the holiday traffic.
For the long weekend, both private and government buses have been running an additional fleet. Many commuters have turned to cabs, autorickshaws, and the metro to reach bus and railway stations, as well as the airport, to head to their hometowns for the festive celebrations.
Manoj Kumar, a resident of Rajajinagar, said: “I left my house early to avoid the rush, but the roads were still congested. It took me over an hour to reach the Majestic bus stand, and I couldn’t get a cab or auto despite trying three different aggregator apps.”
Mahesh Kulkarni, from J.P. Nagar, echoed similar sentiments, and said: “I usually prefer taking the metro to Yeshwantpur railway station, but today it was so packed that I had to wait for the next train.”
The Bengaluru Traffic Police have issued a public advisory. With Deepavali and Kannada Rajyostava approaching, followed by a long weekend from October 31 to November 3, officials are urging residents to prepare for increased travel activity.
The advisory includes several recommendations for commuters, urging them to ‘plan ahead’ by organising their travel itineraries in advance and considering their travel time; to ‘choose alternative routes’ by familiarising themselves with different routes to their destinations to avoid congestion; to ‘utilise public transport’ wherever possible to help reduce the number of vehicles on the road; and to ‘travel safely’ by adhering to traffic rules and remaining patient during peak hours, the advisory had stated.
Published – October 31, 2024 07:00 am IST
