Bengaluru commuters set social media ablaze as gridlock intensifies in Hebbal over peak-hour flyover inauguration

Karnataka's CM faced backlash for inaugurating the new Hebbal Flyover Loop in Bengaluru during morning peak hours on a Monday following a long weekend.

What was meant to be a celebratory moment for Bengaluru’s traffic-weary commuters has turned into a flashpoint of frustration and criticism. The inauguration of the new Hebbal flyover loop by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Monday morning has drawn sharp backlash from residents, commuters and politicians alike - many accusing the state government of poor planning and disregard for public convenience.

Commuters in Bengaluru were in a fix as traffic chaos intensified in Hebbal on Monday morning as Karnataka's leadership chose to have a peak-hour ceremony after a long weekend to inaugurate the new flyover loop.

READ | Bengaluru’s Hebbal flyover loop finally opens, may cut traffic by 30%; DK Shivakumar makes stylish entry

Held during peak office hours on the first working day after a long weekend, the ceremonial event led to massive traffic jams stretching over several kilometres.

BJP MP Tejasvi Surya, who was caught in the gridlock, posted on X, “Hebbal Road was a nightmare this morning. On my way to Delhi this morning to attend Parliament, I was stuck at Hebbal Junction for nearly 50 minutes along with thousands of people and almost missed my flight. All because the state government chose a Monday morning peak hours as the appropriate time for the flyover inauguration program.”

Another post fumed, “CM @siddaramaiah decided that a Monday morning—right after a long weekend—was the perfect time to inaugurate part of a flyover expansion at the city’s busiest junction. Pure genius. Yes I’m being f sarcastic.”

READ | Bengaluru’s new Hebbal flyover loop opens for trial, traffic police seek public feedback

“The traffic was crazy. That flyover loop which he is opening was already open for public on the weekend. They closed it today so that he can open! He is opening an already opened flyover loop. It took 30min instead of 2min to pass hebbal flyover that too at 7:45AM!” a reply to the post stated.

Another commuter shared their ordeal by writing, “It's pathetic that @CMofKarnataka inaugurated the new Hebbal flyover loop during peak hours on Monday. Don't you have any mercy?”

“5 KM Jam near Airport Road after Hebbal Flyover. Thank you Siddu,” yet another resident posted.

“Hebbal flyover could have been inaugurated yesterday Sunday or could declared Monday holiday. 66 minutes from Byatarayanapura not reached Esteem Mall,” a social media user shared.

“Thousands of man hours would have saved if inauguration was done yesterday,” another said.

Ironically, while thousands of commuters were stuck in gridlock caused by the event, DCM Shivakumar posted a photo of himself “breezing through” the new flyover on his vintage Yezdi motorcycle.

“Breezing through traffic at Hebbal Junction!” he wrote. “Dear Bengalureans, we’re committed with deep passion, and we will deliver,” he wrote.