Bengaluru was built to solve India's tech problems, but can't fix its own traffic: Commuters cry foul over this ‘normalised' issue

Economic Times

22-06-2025

The streets of Bengaluru are no longer just crowded—they're suffocating. What once was a tech-driven metropolis full of promise has become a city gripped by traffic paralysis, failing infrastructure, and commuter fatigue.
Across Whitefield, Hebbal, and the Outer Ring Road, short distances stretch into hours-long slogs. Buses don't arrive. Autos demand tips. Ride-hailing apps blink in silence. And every journey feels like a test of endurance rather than a trip home.
'Left office at 6 PM. Got home at 9:15. My house is 12 km away. There was no rain. No protest. No accident. Just Bengaluru being… Bengaluru,' wrote one Reddit user in a post that went viral.They continued, 'The bus that usually covers my route didn't show up today. Nothing on Tummoc or Namma BMTC, just silence. Waited a while, then gave up and took a different bus hoping to switch mid-way. That one dropped me somewhere in between, and then began the great auto hunt.'The frustration didn't end there. The same user hit out at the city's much-hyped digital tools, saying, 'Namma Yatri? Not a single driver accepted unless I tipped ₹50+. 'Optional tip' is the biggest joke in this city. Meter? LOL. Eventually paid more for an auto than I'd pay for an intercity bus. And the worst part? I wasn't even surprised. Just… drained.'
The post summed up a broader despair, 'This is supposed to be the startup capital of the country. A city full of people building tools to 'solve urban problems.' You'd think basic commuting would be one of the first things we'd figure out.''It's like the city slowly chips away at you, not with one big failure, but with a thousand little ones every day,' they added. 'Still, in some stubborn corner of my brain, I keep thinking maybe someday it'll get better. Don't know when. But I want to believe that it will.'The post struck a chord. One user replied, 'Bro at least your office is 12 km from ur home, some of us travel 30+ km daily... Commuting is a real pain in the ass with the traffic being so worse... today I was stuck for like 20-30 mins in Hebbal traffic itself because of stupid metro and flyover works... we are screwed up way too badly.'Another recalled, 'I once left Whitefield at 5:30 and reached home at 10. This was before the metro was a thing. It's insane how this problem has been ongoing for more than a decade now, but all our politicians want to do is dhudh thindu dhappa agokey.'And one voice captured the mental toll, saying, 'Commute is shit, horrible bosses, pathetic mood all the time. I have simply decided the following — I give it two years to put up with this shit, save / invest as much money as I can, slowly start relocating closer to my native or move to a smaller city like Mysore... I am needed for my family, I can not be a statistic on people dying prematurely due to stress.'Amid the daily traffic grind, a fresh infrastructure issue brought further disruption. A flyover section near Bagalur Road Circle in Hosur developed a sudden lateral shift of nearly 50 metres.The damage, which resulted in a 15 cm wide, 50-metre-long gap, forced authorities to shut down traffic on the Krishnagiri-Bangalore flyover. Vehicles were rerouted via Hosur's service road, causing severe jams.'Vehicular traffic had already been diverted due to widening work on Bagalur Road. This sudden shift in the flyover has only made the situation worse. Motorists are facing significant hardship,' a local traffic official said.
Engineers began emergency stabilisation using a circular bearing mechanism. The diversion triggered snarls stretching up to 3 km from Hosur Bus Stand. Officials from the National Highways Authority have launched a detailed probe and advised drivers to avoid the stretch until repairs are complete. Just as motorists caught their breath, the weather delivered another blow. Heavy rain on Sunday flooded several parts of Bengaluru, causing traffic to slow to a crawl. Waterlogged roads made commuting hazardous across key junctions.
According to Bengaluru Traffic Police, slow movement was reported in: In a public advisory on Twitter, police said, 'Motorists are advised to take caution and expect delays in the following areas due to waterlogging and rainwater flow.'On Saturday, light rain and breezy weather had offered momentary relief. The temperature stayed between 20.3°C and 28.8°C, with winds peaking at 32 km/h. But any reprieve was short-lived.Pushed to their limits, citizens are now beginning to rally online. Reddit user Popular‑Peace6795 posted,'People of Bluru, we have two choices! Either hold a strike against the 'auto mafia' or persuade employers to adopt widespread work-from-home.'He added, 'I think we have two options to beat this traffic … how much more are you willing to sacrifice your money, time, mental health and physical health?'The suggestion received more than a hundred comments, with users sharing stories, rage, and ideas. One commuter explained,'I'm sitting at office frustrated, booking autos with 50‑60% tip. Making them wait outside a random street and cancelling … This is my silent protest.'Another said, 'We're not dependent on autos for our meal. If they get cancelled enough, they'll understand and be desperate for rides.'Some, however, warned this could backfire, 'This doesn't help. It only makes genuine travellers lose rides.'What's unfolding isn't just a civic inconvenience. It's a mounting public pressure cooker. One commuter said,'I used to walk 1.5 km from my bus stop to office … by the time I reached, I was too exhausted to do anything.'Another posted, 'Just stop going to office as a strike. Force companies to force government. That's the only way.'Some are choosing the path of resignation, opting for personal vehicles even though they worsen congestion.'I just got a car. I know it adds to traffic but I can't deal with bikes or autos anymore,' one user admitted.In the face of failing systems and fading patience, Bengaluru's citizens are asking the question their city refuses to answer: how long can this go on?
(Disclaimer: This article is based on a user-generated post on social media. ET.com has not independently verified the claims made in the post and does not vouch for their accuracy. The views expressed are those of the individual and do not necessarily reflect the views of ET.com. Reader discretion is advised.)