When scores of Bengalureans returned to the City after a week-long festival holiday, what greeted them was long slow-moving traffic and jams on major entry roads.
But the large influx of people had to face more than just traffic. The incessant rainfall, a series of protest rallies and potholed-filled roads made their journey back home a lot more difficult. The gridlock began as early as 4.30 am as vehicles ferrying people started arriving in the Bengaluru and reached its peak around 10 am, according to ACP (traffic-west) Jagadish G F.
KSRTC and private buses as well as cars crowded Bengaluru’s roads. A large number of people alighted at the Bengaluru City railway station and a majority of them hailed auto-rickshaws. Once these vehicles entered the roads, the situation worsened. Potholes and pits only aggravated the problem.
Soon, the four major entry roads into Bengaluru — Tumakuru Road, Mysuru Road, Ballari Road and Hosur Road — were jam-packed with all types of vehicles. Jagadish said they had anticipated traffic problems. The police top brass had met on Sunday and decided to post more traffic police personnel at congestion-prone junctions, he added.
Still, the situation was too daunting. As early as 5 am, Platform Road, Seshadri Road, Okalipuram Road, Shanthala junction, Kengeri and Byatarayanapura on Mysuru Road witnessed a combination of slow-moving traffic and gridlock.
Then there was bumper-to-bumper traffic in Peenya, Goraguntepalya, 8th Mile, Dr Rajkumar Road and Navarang Junction.
The scene wasn’t any different in Seshadripuram, Ballari Road, Malleswaram and near Mantri Square mall. Traffic was disrupted for hours between the City Market flyover and Nayandahalli Junction, the police said.
In southern Bengaluru, the traffic situation became acute at South End Circle, JP Nagar, Puttenahalli, Basavanagudi and Banashankari around 8 am. In the eastern part, Indiranagar and Baiyappanahalli were affected. Yelahanka in northern Bengaluru wasn’t spared either.
The situation could become normal only around 3 pm, the police added.
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