For a brief, blissful break during Diwali week, Bengaluru’s usually choked streets offered a rare sight, free-flowing traffic and near-empty roads. But the calm didn’t last long. As residents returned from their hometowns after the festive holidays, the city’s infamous gridlock made a dramatic comeback, sparking a wave of posts and memes on social media.
A Reddit thread titled “Goodbye empty roads” quickly gained traction, garnering 600 upvotes and nearly 30 replies at the time this article was beign written.
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It resonated with several Bengaluru residents and social media users, who shared photos, traffic maps, and humorous takes on the post-Diwali rush. One user quipped, “Yesterday, the time to office was 28-30 mins and today it is 54 mins. Going to start in next 10 mins. Brace for impact!!” Others lamented multi-hour commutes that resumed as offices reopened and schools returned to session.
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{{/usCountry}}Bengaluru has become infamous for its known traffic-heavy area such as the Outer Ring Road (ORR), Silk Board Junction, and Whitefield Road. Commuters reported longer travel times, with one writing, “God bless I see the crowd in metro and ik I just know.”
“Diwali breaks/holidays are over now :)” a user shared, while another wrote, “I had a morning drive from 2 AM to 7 AM, it was very peaceful. Did Yelahanka to BSK in just 30 minutes. On my way back home, I saw Peenya-Gorguntepalya already getting choked up in the morning.”
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Another thread showed some residual calm in Victoria Layout as residents rejoiced no traffic before the inevitable. “Nowadays I feel like I unlocked some super power, I can reach anywhere so fast,” a user wrote.
“Bangalore is being bangalore for few days,” another said.
Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.