Bengaluru traffic disruption during the Dasara travel rush forced KSRTC and private long-distance buses to spend up to five or six hours navigating city roads on Friday night, with congestion on Tumakuru Road easing only around 2.30am. Heavy evening rain, waterlogging and a sharp increase in intercity bus movement worsened conditions across several routes.
Tumakuru Road was among the worst-affected stretches. A passenger travelling from Majestic towards Mangaluru said his bus left at about 10pm, but took more than 2.5 hours to travel from Orion Mall to Govardhan theatre. The bus reached Nagasandra at around 2am, he said.
The passenger also described difficulty reaching Majestic from his workplace because of congestion between Corporation Circle and the bus terminal. He said he got off near BVK Iyengar Road and walked part of the way to avoid missing his bus.
A KSRTC conductor on the Bengaluru-Mangaluru route said the bus left Majestic almost on schedule but took more than 3.5 hours to travel from Navarang theatre to Goraguntepalya, where traffic had come to a standstill. Four passengers were waiting at Govardhan theatre for the bus, the conductor said, adding that they repeatedly called because they were worried about missing the pickup.
A traffic police officer said 800 to 900 buses normally use the Yeshwanthpur-Goraguntepalya stretch of Tumakuru Road on weekends. During festive seasons and long weekends, the number rises to more than 2,500 buses. On Friday, congestion extended around Govardhan theatre and adjoining roads, with traffic also affected along Navarang theatre, Chord Road, Sankey Tank Road, CV Raman Road and sections of the Outer Ring Road.
Govardhan theatre has become a major informal pickup point for KSRTC and private operators, but the location does not have adequate bus shelters or dedicated bus bays. Thousands of passengers gather along the busy road during festive periods. Traffic police said buses stopping for even a few minutes can create a ripple effect, while the lack of space often leads drivers to halt or park in ways that obstruct traffic movement. More than 12 police personnel were deployed at the location to regulate the flow.
Authorities have proposed widening the road near Govardhan theatre and constructing bus shelters and bays. Traffic police have also suggested moving KSRTC operations to the Basaveshwara Bus Terminal in Peenya, which has remained unused for years. Another proposal involves developing a long-distance transport hub at Madavara near the Bengaluru International Exhibition Centre, allowing passengers to reach buses by Metro or city services instead of bringing every intercity bus into the city.
Similar proposals have previously been discussed for Mysuru Road near Challaghatta, KR Puram, Baiyappanahalli and Hebbal, but the reported plans have made limited progress. The absence of operational transfer points continues to leave long-distance buses dependent on congested urban roads and roadside pickups.
Hosur Road and connecting highways also experienced heavy congestion on Friday night. Commuters reported delays near Chandapura and between Attibele and Bommasandra, where pending works by the National Highways Authority of India and K-RIDE, waterlogging near Chandapura and persistent rain further slowed traffic. The immediate congestion eased after 2.30am, according to the traffic police officer.
