<p>Bengaluru: In August 2025, a 31-year-old mother of two was flung off a flyover near the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) and died instantly after a car, driven recklessly on the wrong side, rammed into her scooter. More recently, in early 2026, four people were injured near the Chandapura bridge on NH-44 when multiple vehicles collided following a similar wrong-way entry.</p><p>For many Bengalureans, the "one-way" sign has become a mere suggestion rather than a rule. Despite intensified crackdowns and awareness campaigns, driving against the flow of traffic has seen a staggering spike in the city, with recorded cases more than doubling between 2023 and 2025.</p><p>According to data released by the Bengaluru Traffic Police (BTP), the city recorded 1,44,290 cases in 2023. This number surged to 3,02,962 in 2025. The trend shows no signs of slowing down in 2026, with 1,35,229 cases already booked in the first quarter alone.</p><p><strong>A culture of 'shortcuts'</strong></p><p>Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic), Karthik Reddy, attributed the rise to a dangerous pursuit of convenience. "People tend to take shortcuts for convenience, leading to congestion and high accidents. It not only endangers the life of the violator but also others who follow the rules," Reddy told DH.</p><p>He noted that while officers are often tied up with manual regulation during peak hours, the department has launched special drives to catch violators during off-peak times when speeds are higher and risks are greater.</p><p>The Central Business District (CBD) remains a success story for one-way implementation. DGP M A Saleem highlighted that major arteries like Residency Road, Richmond Road, and Infantry Road have stood the test of time. "Bengaluru was once called the 'One-Way City.' These 128 converted roads have eased traffic in the CBD compared to the Outer Ring Road (ORR) or Whitefield, where the lack of alternate roads prevents one-way conversion, leading to more jams," Saleem told DH. He added that the "continuous movement" of one-ways is more efficient, even if it requires traveling an extra kilometer.</p><p>DCP (Traffic) East Sahil Bagla noted "There’s a continuous special drive against one-way violations which started from February this year. The majority of the cases we register are during the daytime, and major violations come from two-wheelers. By doing so, they are endangering the property of others and creating obstructions. Do not go for shortcuts," he urged.</p><p>"About converting more roads as one-way, we take a look at the local traffic situation and plan to convert on experimental trials. If found successful, we go forward to mitigate local area traffic."</p><p>DCP (Traffic) North Jayaprakash said "Ballari Road, Tumakuru Road, Rajajinagar Main Road, and Malleswaram Main Road have seen an increase in violations during peak hour traffic. Inner roads at RT Nagar, Yeshwantpur, and Sanjaynagar have also seen a steady rise as our personnel remain vigilant."</p><p>DCP (Traffic) South Gopal M Byakod said "Once one person drives wrong, others follow. This herd mentality must change. When you see someone break the law, they must be reprimanded, not followed." "People tend to violate one-way rules if the stretch is short. The mindset says ‘it’s nearby, why should we go all the way’ that has to change. All roads have seen an increase in cases due to high vehicle volume."</p><p><strong>Road rage and near-misses</strong></p><p>The blatant disregard for rules often leads to ugly confrontations. One commuter near Girinagar recounted a bad experience with an auto-driver coming from the wrong side. When confronted, the driver reportedly replied in Kannada, "What happened if I came in the wrong way? Is there no space? Look at my number plate and do what you want."</p><p>In a recent horrific incident in Bagalur, a lorry entered a one-way street and rammed into five vehicles, including three two-wheelers and a car. The collision left several vehicles mangled and one person seriously injured. Another commuter noted that such mindless driving is becoming a daily occurrence, even at signaled junctions.</p><p>The BTP maintains that they are focusing on the "4Es": Engineering, Enforcement, Education, and Emergency care. While the police continue to experiment with new one-way trials to mitigate local congestion, they emphasise that enforcement alone cannot fix the problem.</p><p>"Driving against a one-way is extremely dangerous, risking head-on collisions and fatal accidents," Reddy stated. "Each of the 1.35 lakh cases registered this year is a potential tragedy averted."</p>
<p>Bengaluru: In August 2025, a 31-year-old mother of two was flung off a flyover near the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) and died instantly after a car, driven recklessly on the wrong side, rammed into her scooter. More recently, in early 2026, four people were injured near the Chandapura bridge on NH-44 when multiple vehicles collided following a similar wrong-way entry.</p><p>For many Bengalureans, the "one-way" sign has become a mere suggestion rather than a rule. Despite intensified crackdowns and awareness campaigns, driving against the flow of traffic has seen a staggering spike in the city, with recorded cases more than doubling between 2023 and 2025.</p><p>According to data released by the Bengaluru Traffic Police (BTP), the city recorded 1,44,290 cases in 2023. This number surged to 3,02,962 in 2025. The trend shows no signs of slowing down in 2026, with 1,35,229 cases already booked in the first quarter alone.</p><p><strong>A culture of 'shortcuts'</strong></p><p>Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic), Karthik Reddy, attributed the rise to a dangerous pursuit of convenience. "People tend to take shortcuts for convenience, leading to congestion and high accidents. It not only endangers the life of the violator but also others who follow the rules," Reddy told DH.</p><p>He noted that while officers are often tied up with manual regulation during peak hours, the department has launched special drives to catch violators during off-peak times when speeds are higher and risks are greater.</p><p>The Central Business District (CBD) remains a success story for one-way implementation. DGP M A Saleem highlighted that major arteries like Residency Road, Richmond Road, and Infantry Road have stood the test of time. "Bengaluru was once called the 'One-Way City.' These 128 converted roads have eased traffic in the CBD compared to the Outer Ring Road (ORR) or Whitefield, where the lack of alternate roads prevents one-way conversion, leading to more jams," Saleem told DH. He added that the "continuous movement" of one-ways is more efficient, even if it requires traveling an extra kilometer.</p><p>DCP (Traffic) East Sahil Bagla noted "There’s a continuous special drive against one-way violations which started from February this year. The majority of the cases we register are during the daytime, and major violations come from two-wheelers. By doing so, they are endangering the property of others and creating obstructions. Do not go for shortcuts," he urged.</p><p>"About converting more roads as one-way, we take a look at the local traffic situation and plan to convert on experimental trials. If found successful, we go forward to mitigate local area traffic."</p><p>DCP (Traffic) North Jayaprakash said "Ballari Road, Tumakuru Road, Rajajinagar Main Road, and Malleswaram Main Road have seen an increase in violations during peak hour traffic. Inner roads at RT Nagar, Yeshwantpur, and Sanjaynagar have also seen a steady rise as our personnel remain vigilant."</p><p>DCP (Traffic) South Gopal M Byakod said "Once one person drives wrong, others follow. This herd mentality must change. When you see someone break the law, they must be reprimanded, not followed." "People tend to violate one-way rules if the stretch is short. The mindset says ‘it’s nearby, why should we go all the way’ that has to change. All roads have seen an increase in cases due to high vehicle volume."</p><p><strong>Road rage and near-misses</strong></p><p>The blatant disregard for rules often leads to ugly confrontations. One commuter near Girinagar recounted a bad experience with an auto-driver coming from the wrong side. When confronted, the driver reportedly replied in Kannada, "What happened if I came in the wrong way? Is there no space? Look at my number plate and do what you want."</p><p>In a recent horrific incident in Bagalur, a lorry entered a one-way street and rammed into five vehicles, including three two-wheelers and a car. The collision left several vehicles mangled and one person seriously injured. Another commuter noted that such mindless driving is becoming a daily occurrence, even at signaled junctions.</p><p>The BTP maintains that they are focusing on the "4Es": Engineering, Enforcement, Education, and Emergency care. While the police continue to experiment with new one-way trials to mitigate local congestion, they emphasise that enforcement alone cannot fix the problem.</p><p>"Driving against a one-way is extremely dangerous, risking head-on collisions and fatal accidents," Reddy stated. "Each of the 1.35 lakh cases registered this year is a potential tragedy averted."</p>