Before the Metro and traffic: Can you recognize this 1950s Bengaluru street once dotted with vintage cars?

The image captures a time when vintage cars and cycle rickshaws lined one of the city’s most iconic streets.

Published on: Mar 15, 2025, 13:05:27 IST

By Anagha Deshpande

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An old photograph from the 1950s showing a parking scene on Bengaluru’s MG Road has resurfaced on social media, sparking nostalgia and debate among users.

Car parking on one of Bengaluru's iconic streets. (x/@IndiaHistorypic)

The image, shared by the handle ‘Indian History Pics,’ captures a time when vintage cars and cycle rickshaws lined one of the city’s most iconic streets.

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Check out the image here:

How did X users react?

While many admired the charm of old Bengaluru, opinions were divided on whether the past was truly better. One user remarked, "Bengaluru must have been a paradise back then," reminiscing about the city's less congested days.

However, not everyone agreed. Another user pointed out the economic progress the city has made, stating, "Even though I am a critic myself, times are far better now. Back then, over 75% of people were below the poverty line, unlike now, when almost everyone carries a smartphone."

Some lamented the changes brought by urban development, particularly the Metro construction on MG Road. "Then the government decided to build a metro line in the middle of it to destroy the beauty," wrote one user, reflecting on the transformation of the once-picturesque boulevard.

The viral image has reignited conversations about Bengaluru’s evolution, with nostalgia for its past blending with recognition of its rapid modernization.

Recently. another old photo of Bengaluru's iconic Majestic bus stand from 1994, captured on a ‘cloudy morning at 9.05 am’ went viral on social media.

The image showed the area significantly less congested during peak hours, with a striking contrast to the overcrowded scene that the bus stand has become today. Since the 1990s, Majestic has evolved into one of the city’s busiest hubs, teeming with a mix of locals, migrants, and tourists.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Anagha Deshpande
Anagha Deshpande is Deputy Chief Content Producer at Hindustan Times. She is currently part of the news team. Before moving into this role, she worked with the Bengaluru desk, where she extensively covered civic issues, Karnataka politics, infrastructure, and urban governance. Over the past seven years, Anagha has worked across multiple facets of digital journalism, including reporting, editing, and video production. She briefly stepped away from journalism, only to realize that the newsroom is where she has the most fun. Her interests lie in tracking national and state politics, particularly South Indian politics, as well as social issues and public policy. She has previously worked with Deccan Herald, Mid-day, The Federal, and ThePrint, and has lived and worked in Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, and Chennai. When she isn't chasing stories, Anagha enjoys long aimless walks, reading, hiking, discovering new teas, and, by her own admission, overthinking almost everything.Read More

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