Bengaluru traffic congestion intensified across the city’s major outbound roads and transport hubs during Dasara travel, with rain worsening delays for motorists and passengers heading out of the city on Friday evening and Saturday, according to a report by Prajavani.
Vehicles were reported to be moving slowly or standing in long queues on the Tumakuru Road stretch from Goraguntepalya to Nagasandra, with traffic extending towards Nelamangala. The Peenya flyover also saw queues, while travellers using the Mysuru Road took considerable time to reach the expressway towards Mysuru.
Congestion was also reported on Hosur Road and Ballari Road, where large numbers of private cars and two-wheelers were travelling towards destinations outside Bengaluru. The report said that lakhs of people used their own vehicles to leave the city on Friday and Saturday night for the festival, placing additional pressure on the road network.
The city’s central transport areas faced similar crowding. Heavy traffic was seen around Majestic on Saturday night, while Bengaluru railway station, Yeshwanthpur railway station and the Shanthinagar bus terminal recorded large crowds. Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation and private buses were reported to be heavily packed as passengers travelled to their hometowns and religious destinations.
Many travellers were heading towards Dharmasthala, Udupi, Mangaluru, Horanadu and Sringeri from Friday night. The KSRTC had arranged special buses for the Dasara period, including services such as Karnataka Sarige, Vayavya Karnataka transport services, Rajahamsa, sleeper and Airavata services, as well as multi-axle, electric and premium Ambari and Pallakki buses.
Rain that began in the city on Saturday evening added to the disruption. Although the rainfall was not described as heavy, waterlogging on some roads made it more difficult for motorists to move through already congested stretches. Drizzle reportedly continued until late at night, affecting road users during the peak travel period.
Traffic police worked to manage vehicle movement across the affected corridors, while additional security arrangements were provided at railway and bus stations because of the festival crowds. The reported disruption highlights the intense pressure placed on Bengaluru’s limited road and terminal capacity when private vehicle departures, intercity buses, rail travel and adverse weather coincide.
