Slow-moving traffic along the Outer Ring Road near Marathahalli.
Credit: DH PHOTO/PUSHKAR V
Bengaluru: The persistent issue of Bengaluru's crumbling infrastructure and crippling traffic congestion has once again sparked a wave of public frustration from the city's top business leaders, with many taking to social media to voice their dismay.
The latest appraisal comes from Zepto co-founder Aadit Palicha, who, in a recent podcast, branded his commute to the airport as "the most painful thing" he has to do one or two times a month.
"The biggest problem that I have in my life is the commute whenever I need to take a flight from where I stay in Bangalore to the airport,” he said.
The corporate community, including IT Companies and Industries Association, has reiterated the urgent need for government intervention to restore the city's infrastructure, calling for a transparent roadmap for improving roads, metro connectivity and public utilities. Many employees, losing productive hours in traffic, continue to advocate for a state-mandated Work From Home (WFH) policy to ease road congestion.
Panathur road reopens on Oct 24
Commuters struggling with the recent heavy traffic on Varthur–Marathahalli Road and Vibgyor Road may get some relief.
The Bengaluru Traffic Police (BTP) on Thursday acknowledged that the congestion is due to the ongoing closure of Panathur Road and promised that it would reopen next Friday (October 24).
A BTP advisory stated: "Since Panathur Road is closed, there is a lot of traffic on Varthur-Marathahalli Road and Vibgyor Road. Panathur Road will be opened for public use from next Friday. This should ease traffic on the Varthur-Marathahalli stretch and also reduce congestion on ORR too."
Until then, the BTP advised all vehicle users to continue planning their travel with due consideration for potential delays on the alternative routes.
The closure of Panathur Road was reportedly initiated for white-topping work, an essential, though disruptive, development. However, the temporary shutdown has severely affected daily commuters on the Outer Ring Road (ORR), particularly those heading through the Varthur-Marathahalli tech corridor.
The announcement of the road’s impending reopening has been welcomed by office-goers and the Outer Ring Road Companies Association (ORRCA), who have long called for better planning and execution of civic works to minimise commuter inconvenience.