Bengaluru Roads and Metro Jammed After Long Weekend Calm; Commuters Face Monday Mayhem

Bengaluru: After a rare break from traffic over the Dasara long weekend, Bengaluru’s busy streets and metro lines were once again clogged with commuters on Monday morning, as life in India’s tech capital returned to its usual gridlock.

From Koramangala to Whitefield and Electronic City to Yeshwanthpur, vehicles inched forward in the city’s infamous morning rush hour, while Namma Metro stations witnessed long queues of office-goers and students heading back after the holiday lull.

Online Reactions: Humor Amid Frustration

The post-holiday struggle wasn’t limited to the roads. Bengaluru’s commuters flooded Reddit and X (Twitter) with memes and venting posts, expressing frustration mixed with humor.

One user lamented, “Why would you post my Monday morning view on a Sunday evening? I was having a good day!” while another shared a screenshot from a navigation app showing a staggering 1 hour 53 minutes to cover just 35 km on a two-wheeler.

Others reported even shorter trips taking nearly double the usual time. “It took me 48 minutes for a 6-kilometer ride today. Just Monday things,” one user posted.

Metro Rush Mirrors Road Chaos

Commuters also shared visuals of crowded metro stations, especially during peak hours on Monday morning. “Huge rush on the road and metro as people return to Bengaluru to get back to work after Dasara Festival,” one resident wrote alongside pictures of congested metro platforms.

The sudden spike in traffic and metro usage is being attributed to the end of the extended Gandhi Jayanti-Dasara weekend, with schools and offices reopening simultaneously.

The Calm Before the Commute

Bengaluru’s residents had enjoyed a rare few days of smooth travel over the long weekend — with empty flyovers, clear junctions, and free-flowing traffic. Monday’s return to chaos was therefore especially jarring for those who had briefly forgotten the city’s daily grind.

As the city settles back into its routine, commuters brace for another week of long travel times, packed metro compartments, and slow-moving roads — a familiar reminder that in Bengaluru, peace on the roads is only ever temporary.