Traffic queues stretched for about a kilometre at toll plazas on the Bengaluru–Mysuru National Highway on Saturday as the Gauri-Ganesha festival coincided with the weekend, leaving passengers travelling towards Mysuru waiting for extended periods. Heavy congestion was reported at the Kaniminike toll plaza in Bengaluru South taluk and the Sheshagirihalli toll plaza in Ramanagara taluk.
Vehicles heading towards Mysuru began lining up at the plazas from the morning. Despite the availability of FASTag and seven to eight toll gates at both locations, the volume of traffic caused delays in vehicles crossing the toll points.
The congestion affected travellers who had left early expecting to reach their destinations sooner. The Bengaluru–Mysuru highway is a key road link between the two cities, and traffic demand rises during festival periods and weekends, particularly when holidays coincide with one another.
Passenger Avinash, who was travelling by car towards Mysuru, said toll plazas on the route regularly face congestion when festivals coincide with weekends and during the Dasara period. He said travellers often get delayed at the toll points despite leaving early.
He also said motorists had limited alternatives because a continuous service road has not been built alongside the highway. Travellers seeking to avoid the toll plazas have to use nearby towns or cities at several stretches, making the toll road the more practical route for many journeys.
The report did not specify the duration of the queues, the number of vehicles affected or any additional traffic-management measures deployed at the toll plazas. The immediate traffic situation and steps for managing festival-period demand remain the next points requiring confirmation from the highway and local traffic authorities.
