Heavy traffic slams B’luru arteries amid long weekend

CH NEWS, BENGALURU Commuters navigating Bengaluru's extensive transit network faced severe delays as a massive exodus for the Gandhi Jayanti long weekend collided with localized infrastructural bottlenecks and seasonal waterlogging. The Bengaluru Traffic Police (BTP) issued urgent advisories warning motorists of critical congestion across several high-density corridors, most notably along the Bengaluru-Mysore highway, K. Channasandra Road, and the Goraguntepalya arterial stretch. The convergence of a mid-week gazetted holiday and an extended weekend prompted thousands of residents to head out of the city toward regional tourist destinations, straining major exit routes. The heaviest gridlock was reported near the NICE Road junction on Mysore Road, where serpentine queues of outbound private vehicles and KSRTC buses began forming early in the morning. Traffic enforcement units were deployed in force to manage vehicle merging and toll-plaza queues, though authorities cautioned motorists to factor in substantial delays and consider designated outer ring road bypasses. Compounding the holiday rush, unexpected infrastructural obstructions and weather-related hurdles brought traffic to a crawl in various municipal sectors. On K. Channasandra Road, persistent waterlogging following recent downpours severely restricted vehicular movement, creating frustrating bottlenecks for motorists heading toward Bileshivale. Municipal engineering crews were dispatched to clear blocked drainage paths, but low-lying stretches continued to impede smooth transit. Meanwhile, northern commuters experienced compounding delays near the Goraguntepalya corridor. A sudden vehicular breakdown right near the Muthyalanagara bridge blocked critical lane capacity during peak transit hours, triggering cascading tailbacks toward major junction networks. Traffic police intervened to tow the disabled vehicle and regulate manual signaling, while issuing active appeals for commuters to utilize alternative arterial bypasses. With holiday traffic expected to remain elevated throughout the weekend before heavy return surges anticipated on Sunday and Monday, law enforcement agencies have urged citizens to monitor live travel advisories, exercise patience, and adhere strictly to lane discipline to prevent further gridlock.