Bengaluru: Chief Minister DK Shivakumar's whirlwind tour across the city to meet political allies and rivals ahead of his swearing-in ceremony on Wednesday evening triggered one of the most dreaded phenomena for Bengalureans: massive traffic snarls. Despite advance advisories from traffic police and some schools in the central business district adjusting their schedules, commuters were caught in crawling and standstill traffic for hours. Shivakumar's surprise visits to senior leaders added to the congestion in both north and south Bengaluru.
Visits to Senior Leaders
Around 11:20 am, Shivakumar visited former Chief Minister and BJP veteran BS Yediyurappa at his residence in Dollars Colony, Sanjaynagar. After spending nearly 30 minutes there, he proceeded to the Padmanabhanagar residence of former Prime Minister and JD(S) patriarch HD Deve Gowda. The movement of his convoy led to temporary traffic restrictions and slowdowns in the surrounding areas.
Impact on Central Bengaluru
The worst impact, however, was felt in central Bengaluru, where thousands of motorists were stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic that lasted for nearly five hours before and after the swearing-in ceremony at Lok Bhavan. Raj Bhavan Road was closed to the public from the morning, while roads leading to Vidhana Soudha and Raj Bhavan were barricaded at key junctions, including Queens Road near M Chinnaswamy Stadium and KR Circle.
Commuters were diverted through longer routes via Kasturba Road, Hudson Circle, Anil Kumble Circle, and Shivajinagar, causing significant delays for those traveling towards Mehkri Circle, Hebbal, Yelahanka, and Kempegowda International Airport. The situation was exacerbated by the lack of adequate alternative routes, leaving many stranded for extended periods.
Traffic police had issued advisories urging commuters to avoid the affected areas and use public transport, but the sheer volume of vehicles overwhelmed the system. Schools in the vicinity adjusted their timings to ease the burden, but the measures proved insufficient. The snarls highlighted the perennial traffic woes of Bengaluru, which often come to a standstill during VIP movements.
