‘Bengaluru traffic is stolen’: Actor Ashish Vidyarthi jokes after reaching airport from Indiranagar in 25 mins
The actor with 200 million followers highlighted his personal experience, noting that he reached the airport from Indiranagar in just 25 minutes.
Bengaluru had witnessed an unusual calm on its streets during the ongoing festive season, prompting actor Ashish Vidyarthi to jokingly remark that the city’s traffic had been “stolen.” With people having left the city to celebrate festivities elsewhere, the usually chaotic roads of the IT hub resembled a throwback to the early 2000s, empty and peaceful.

Vidyarthi jokingly expressed his astonishment at the unusually smooth commute. “The traffic has been stolen. There is no traffic on the streets of Bengaluru,” he said in a video shared on his Instagram account. The actor and influencer with 200 million followers highlighted his personal experience, noting that he reached the airport from Indiranagar in just 25 minutes, a journey that would normally take over an hour during peak hours. “Please look into this. Where is the traffic?” he asked humorously, addressing authorities.
"There is no traffic on the streets of Bengaluru. Kal bhi nahi tha, aaj bhi nahi tha. Aaj, matlab, hum log 25 minute me pahunj gaye hain (It wasn’t there yesterday, and it isn’t there today either. Today, we reached in just 25 minutes)," he further said.
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The actor, who was traveling to Kochi for a stand-up performance, emphasized the contrast with the usual congestion. “Please, don’t go back to the old times when Bengaluru had no traffic. The world is moving forward,” he quipped, adding a lighthearted note to the otherwise typical city commute woes.
Residents and commuters in Bengaluru also reported noticeably lighter traffic on major thoroughfares, including MG Road, Indiranagar, and Outer Ring Road, as many families traveled out of the city for the festive period. With fewer vehicles on the road, honking was minimal, air quality improved slightly, and the city experienced a rare sense of tranquility.
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While Vidyarthi’s humorous comments brought a smile, the city may soon return to its usual gridlock once the festive exodus ends, reminding commuters that Bengaluru’s “stolen traffic” is likely a temporary phenomenon.
ABOUT THE AUTHORShivya KanojiaShivya Kanojia is a journalist at Hindustan Times, where she works in the fast-paced digital news ecosystem with a strong sense of editorial judgement and a clear understanding of what makes a story both important and traffic-driven. An alumna of the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), Shivya brings a thoughtful balance of news value and audience relevance to her work, ensuring stories resonate beyond the immediate headline. Over the course of her three-year journey in the digital news space, Shivya has worked across a wide range of beats, including politics, civic issues, human-interest features and trending news. This diverse exposure has shaped her ability to approach stories with nuance, adaptability and context, whether she is breaking down complex developments or spotlighting everyday narratives that often go unnoticed. She is particularly drawn to human-interest stories, interviews and explainers that offer depth and clarity, aiming to move past surface-level reporting to explore the people, emotions and circumstances behind the news. Prior to joining Hindustan Times, Shivya worked with Firstpost and Times Now, where she covered a broad spectrum of topics and honed her skills in digital journalism . Outside the newsroom, Shivya enjoys discovering new cafés, drawn to good coffee, cosy spaces and unhurried conversations. Shopping is another pastime she cherishes, not always out of necessity, but often guided by instinct and the simple joy of stumbling upon unexpected finds. Above all, she treasures time spent with loved ones, finding meaning in shared laughter, simple moments and memories that linger long after.Read More

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