‘Goodbye empty roads’: Bengaluru residents welcome traffic after Deepawali break

Bengaluru enjoyed brief traffic relief during Diwali week, but chaos returned as residents returned from holidays.

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.

Social media buzzed with posts and memes about the infamous gridlock in Bengaluru after a brief break during Deepawali. (Reddit)

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.

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.

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.”

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.