Bengaluru may strive to shed its reputation as one of the world’s most congested cities, but it requires both public support and political determination to improve its traffic situation, said urban planning experts, a day after Karnataka’s capital was paralysed by massive jams.
“The answer for Bengaluru’s traffic is without a doubt, public transport, public transport, public transport. The gridlock on Wednesday was proof of that. When the number of vehicles went up by 40-50 per cent on the roads, there was an absolute gridlock and travel time more than doubled. There can be no other proof for the importance of public transport,” said Bengaluru-based urban expert Ravichandar. “Can we ring-fence the city roads from the corruption that plagues our system? Can we do it in a way the roads elsewhere in the states are being done? If you want to fix the issue, you must upscale public transportation and ring-fence the roads from corruption.”
Bengaluru’s traffic is usually challenging, but what occurred on September 27 was exceptionally severe, said a senior police official who was also stuck in the congestion on Wednesday. “I witnessed tea, coffee, and even pizzas being delivered to cars as people waited for the traffic to clear,” he said.
A traffic official explained that around 2 pm, traffic congestion in Bengaluru became noticeably worse as office-goers and travellers began commuting in and out of the city. The traffic management cell issued an advisory to IT companies, urging them to stagger their employees’ departure times.
“If companies had implemented staggered employee departure times, encouraged carpooling, and advised travellers to check traffic maps before leaving, perhaps Bengaluru wouldn’t have experienced such extensive gridlock,” explained the officer, who requested anonymity.
From school children arriving home five hours late due to their buses being caught in the jam, to lengthy processions for Ganesha Visarjan, and heavy rain—Bengaluru’s Outer Ring Road, between Tin Factory and Silk Board, resembled a sea of red taillights. On an average day, congestion on the ORR spans 1,798 metres, but on Wednesday, it extended to a staggering 35,900, illustrating the extent of the gridlock.
Joint commissioner (traffic) MN Anucheth called the vehicular congestion witnessed in the city an “aberration”.
“Lessons should be learnt from such instances to find solutions to ensure we better the situation. Having said that, there is also a need for better civic responsibility. The waterlogging and potholes add to traffic congestion. These need to be addressed alongside,” he said.
Sheetal Ahuja waited for three hours outside her apartment complex on Sarjapur Road for her 11-year-old daughter to return home from school, which was only 8 kilometres away.
“The school bus driver had a conference call with many parents to provide updates on when their children would return home. It was not only frightening but also left the children hungry and exhausted. I wish people were more considerate when they used their vehicles, if not for us, at least for the little ones,” she said.
The city witnessed double the normal traffic on September 28, with 3.59 lakh vehicles on the roads, compared to the usual 1.5 to 2 lakh on an average day. A city-wide bandh was called to protest the Cauvery water issue, and companies had instructed employees to report to work the following day, considering an extended weekend holiday from September 28 to October 2.
Jonathan Gomes, a banking professional living in Electronic City, was en route to the airport to catch a flight to Mumbai. He left home at 5.15 pm and reached the airport in 2 hours and 45 minutes, a journey that typically takes around 1.5 hours on an average day.
“It’s frustrating, but we’ve come to terms with dealing with traffic the moment we leave home, armed with enough reading material. It doesn’t seem that frustrating when you’re prepared. I read a few newspapers and even finished a book just in time to arrive at the airport,” he told News18.
Another contributing factor was the influx of people from nearby districts who joined the Cauvery protest and later returned to their hometowns in hired vehicles, further exacerbating the congestion.
The question of using public transport to alleviate road traffic congestion arises once again. However, there’s a practical issue. Take Preethi Nandagopal, for example, who would prefer to use Bengaluru’s public transport system to get to work rather than getting stuck in traffic each day with her four-wheeler. Her nearest metro train station, Byappanahalli on Old Madras Road, is a 30-minute drive away. The bus ride would take her to a stop another two kilometres from her workplace, and then she would have to rely on autorickshaw drivers to accept her booking through an app to finally reach her workplace, all within 60-90 minutes.
“I’d rather take my car to work and even make some calls on the way rather than exhaust myself before I even arrive at the office. However, I do agree that we should all adhere to traffic alerts and be more responsible when using our vehicles or carpooling,” she explained.
Various solutions have been proposed over the years, from carpooling initiatives to congestion charges. Still, the key, as urban experts emphasise, lies in effective implementation.
The implementation of a congestion fee for vehicles in Bengaluru, following models seen in cities like Singapore and London, is under consideration. This fee would be applicable to vehicles entering specific zones within the city during peak traffic hours, with the primary goal of reducing unnecessary travel on congested roads during these busy periods.
The congestion charge serves a dual purpose: it aims to alleviate traffic congestion while simultaneously generating additional revenue for the city’s administration. Government officials working on the plan suggest that this supplementary funding could later be allocated towards improving the city’s infrastructure and addressing transportation challenges.
However, urban experts harbour doubts about its practicality, as previous proposals for congestion charges in cities like Delhi and Mumbai have not been implemented.
In addition to traffic concerns, the Karnataka transport department’s recent crackdown on carpooling apps has garnered criticism. C Mallikarjun, the additional commissioner (enforcement) of the state traffic department, noted that the government wing had observed private vehicles intended for personal use being employed for commercial purposes, such as carpooling apps, which is against the law.
“We will suspend the registration certificates (RCs) of those vehicles for six months and impose fines ranging from Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000 on those found to be aggregating private (whiteboard) cars and using them for commercial purposes. They are in violation of regulations, and strict enforcement will be carried out,” he stated.
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