Social media abuzz with jam pain plaints

By Sanjana CS

Techies stranded at E-city flyover due to traffic block, some forced to walk home

On Wednesday, as the rain and floods wreaked havoc, thousands of tech workers protested on the platform X (formerly Twitter), expressing their discontent by wearing black clothing. With the Electronic City flyover congested for more than two hours, many stranded techies took to social media to voice their frustrations.

Traffic on the Electronic City flyover came to a halt, with vehicles backed up from Bommanahalli to Electronic City as a result of heavy rain.

Waterlogging at key entry and exit points slowed traffic to a crawl, leaving commuters frustrated. The flyover, a major link to Bengaluru’s IT hub, became a scene of chaos as rainwater inundated the roads. Motorists were advised to find alternate routes or wait it out.

“It took me three hours to cover 10 kilometres; it would have been four if I hadn’t walked the last 5 km. Earlier it used to be once or twice a year, now it’s almost after every rain,” shared Aniket Nagori on X.

An X user, @amitsomani, posted, “All those who suffered today, let’s wear #black tomorrow to mark our protest.” Responses poured in stating, “Will it even have any impact? The city administration or politicians are hardly bothered.”

Yet, some saw the humour in their plight. “We’ll need to use black every day, then,” stated Prashant Pansare, highlighting the hopelessness many feel over Bengaluru’s traffic woes.

On Wednesday evening, the rain again hammered the city, and the Bengaluru Traffic Police shut down one side of the Electronic City flyover due to waterlogging at Roopena Agrahara. “Electronic City flyover only incoming to the city is closed due to waterlogging, outgoing is as usual,” the police announced. The closure worsened the already dire situation, with commuters stranded on the Electronic City stretch for over two hours. Some techies, unabl

e to wait any longer, left their company-provided cabs and opted to walk home instead.

The city’s Outer Ring Road (ORR) also faced similar problems on Tuesday when heavy rains led to severe waterlogging, particularly in key tech corridors. The traffic police had no choice but to close the gates of major tech parks, further stranding workers who were attempting to leave after their shifts.

On Tuesday an advisory was issued by Traffic officials stating, “All road users are requested to avoid the ORR between Iblur and Marathalli and use alternative roads. This stretch is completely congested due to water logging of service roads.”

For many tech workers at Ecospace and Eco World, this meant an unexpected delay in getting home.

One user, @pratikfarmhouse, vented his frustration: “Completely jammed for the past 1.5 hours on the #ElectronicCity flyover. I should’ve been home by now,” Others echoed his sentiments, sharing images of crowds of frustrated workers abandoning their cars and choosing to walk home.

One user pointed out, “Four lanes on the flyover, six lanes on the ground level highway, and two lanes on either side of the service road. Total of 14 lanes, and yet a traffic jam. The onus is now on the public to use public transport. Hopefully, the new metro lines will fix this issue.”

“This has been going on for the past 15 to 20 years. Yet, no solution,” lamented another X user.

The Karnataka government had advised private companies to allow employees to work from home on October 23, fearing more traffic snarls.

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Traffic diversions for BWSSB work
Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) announced emergency road work that will be carried out from the night of Friday to the morning of October 28. The affected stretch spans from Sai Baba Layout Cross to Doddamara Junction on Rayasandra Road, falling under the jurisdiction of the Electronic City Traffic Police Station.
During this period, heavy vehicles will not be allowed to use this route. To manage traffic, diversions have been arranged for commuters. Those travelling from Hosa Road Junction towards Rayasandra-Choodasandra are advised to take the alternative route via Chennakesava Nagar 1st Cross, Ramareddy Circle, Birla Junction, and Silver County Road. Traffic officials have urged the public to cooperate.

Restrictions today & tomorrow
Bengaluru is set to witness major traffic disruptions on Friday, Saturday due to public events, prompting the Bengaluru Traffic Police to issue traffic diversions and parking restrictions. On Friday, from 4:15 pm to 9:00 pm, parking of all vehicles will be prohibited on key roads, including HAL Airport Road, Cubbon Road, MG Road, Raj Bhavan Road, and Ambedkar Veedhi. Commuters are advised to use alternative routes.

On Saturday, traffic restrictions will be in place from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm on Rajbhavan Road, Cubbon Road, Bellary Road, MG Road, Infantry Road, and HAL Airport Road. Motorists not attending the event are advised to use alternative routes.