Bengaluru, often grappling with notorious traffic congestion, witnesses its most severe gridlock midweek, particularly on Wednesdays and Thursdays. The city’s traffic department sheds light on the factors behind this surge, attributing it to the convergence of commuters heading to offices and participating in routine business operations.
M N Anucheth, the Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) in Bengaluru, revealed that Wednesdays consistently stand out as the peak congestion day. The high influx of professionals into tech parks on these days contributes significantly to heightened activity on the roads. An analysis by the Bengaluru Traffic Police, focusing on critical areas such as the Outer Ring Road (ORR) and Sarjapur Road, based on data from 33 tech parks, reaffirmed this midweek traffic trend.
In response to the escalating traffic scenario, Anucheth suggests that companies consider encouraging their employees to work from the office throughout the week. Presently, there is a noticeable trend where professionals predominantly choose to work from their workplaces from Tuesdays to Thursdays, often driven by the desire to extend weekends for leisure trips or visits to hometowns.
Despite the expectations of reduced congestion around Whitefield following the introduction of the Namma Metro, areas like ORR, Hebbal, and Electronics City, boasting significant tech park presence, continue to lack metro rail connectivity.
The report also emphasizes commuters’ inclination towards personal vehicles, exacerbated by a decrease in air-conditioned buses provided by the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) and the absence of dedicated bus lanes, further aggravating the city’s traffic predicaments.
