“Arrived at Office in Just 25 Mins!”: Bengaluru Commuters Enjoy Rare Smooth Traffic This Festive Season

Bengaluru commuters enjoy rare smooth traffic during the festive season long weekend. Social media users share experiences of quick travel, relaxed ORR drives, and a glimpse of less congested city roads.

Bengaluru, notorious for its relentless traffic jams, experienced an unusual phenomenon over the long festive weekend: the city’s roads were remarkably free-flowing. Residents took to social media to share their delight, marvelling at the rare opportunity to navigate the city without the usual gridlock.

As thousands left the city to visit their hometowns for the festivals, Bengaluru’s streets offered a glimpse of how enjoyable commuting could be under lighter traffic conditions.

Users Celebrate Smooth Traffic

On X (formerly Twitter), locals rejoiced at the unusually fast commutes. One post highlighted:

“Just peaceful Bengaluru. After living in Bangalore for so long, I’ve realised that the best time to stay in Bangalore is during festivals when everyone leaves.”

Meanwhile, on Reddit, one user shared their experience:

“Felt like this is how ORR traffic should be! Arrived at office in just 25 mins, JP Nagar to Kadubeesanahalli. Went for a breakfast and walk, which was pretty pleasant! Cherry on top is a good shiny day!”

Reddit Users Share Their Excitement

One Reddit user commented:

“Same time next week... Travel Time 1hr 25 mins.”

Another user said:

“I reached office from HSR to Kadubeesanahalli in 13 minutes. THIRTEEN MINUTES!!”

A different user added:

“I just opened reddit to make a similar post. It took me just 38 mins from electronic city to mahadevapura.”

Another user remarked:

“If corporates make only 50% WFO and another 50% WFH, it would significantly reduce traffic and make it enjoyable for everyone. Why is there so much resistance to make it happen from corporates? Isn't that a very simple hackable solution? Enjoy commuting, reduce pollution, reduce stress, increase productivity.”

Yet another user commented:

“Make good footpaths and a cycling lane for an enjoyable commute like the Netherlands cities!”

One more Redditor shared:

“Our traffic requires multiple lanes; one for merging traffic, another that needs to make extreme turns, another for buses, yet another for the flowing ones, perhaps one more... in every long stretch.”

Another user observed:

“You can realise how much over-crowded Bangalore has become! ☹️”

Yet another comment read:

“I have always said, go for a drive on a holiday and see the traffic movement. The roads of Bangalore have been designed only for this much traffic. Or max 30% more than this.”

Finally, one Redditor concluded:

“Finally Bengaluru is at peace. We can move around freely this weekend.... Less traffic, less people, less chaos. The OG Bengaluru vibes.”

A Glimpse of What Could Be

This unusually smooth traffic weekend offered a rare reminder of Bengaluru’s potential. Residents reflected on how small changes, like hybrid work models or improved infrastructure, could make commuting far more manageable.

For now, the city is enjoying a brief but delightful period of calm, allowing residents to move freely on streets that are normally congested. This short-lived relief serves as a glimpse of how Bengaluru could feel if planning and policies aligned with the city’s growing needs.