‘Bengaluru feels like Bengaluru again’: City rejoices rare smooth traffic over long weekend

Bengaluru residents celebrate unusually smooth traffic during the festive long weekend as thousands head home, revealing a glimpse of the city’s potential.

In a rare turn of events, Bengaluru’s roads, infamous for their gridlocked chaos, are offering a surprisingly smooth ride this festive long weekend, and residents are celebrating the welcome change on social media.

Social media posts celebrated the rare opportunity for quick commutes and the city's potential without congestion.(Reddit)

Thanks to the exodus of thousands heading to their hometowns for festivals and the extended break, major traffic choke points across the city have cleared up, with travel times drastically cut and daily commutes feeling almost surreal.

A viral post on social media platform X perfectly captured the mood with a screenshot showing a breezy 19-minute drive covering 8.1 km, captioned simply: “Just peaceful Bengaluru.” The user quoted a separate post which said, “After living in Bangalore for so long, I’ve realised that the best time to stay in Bangalore is during festivals when everyone leaves.”

On Reddit, the excitement was even more palpable. One user shared their disbelief: “Crossed the Marathahalli OOR U-turn in just 2 mins! What sorcery is this?” They went on to note, “Bengaluru being Bengaluru again. All the people have went to their hometown due to festivals and long weekend. Bengaluru is starting to feel Bengaluru again (even for a while). Felt good without all the traffic!”

Several users responded, with one writing, “Enjoy it till Sunday I guess.”

“Take enough trips these days of ORR to cherish it later!” another echoed.

Another Reddit post read, “Bengaluru in Parallel Universe. Whitefield to Ecospace in under 30 minutes:) Feels like a dream ;)”

“Koramangala to Kadubisanahalli in 30 minutes,” a user responded in the comments.

“Monday will be back with revenge!” another posted.

These unusually traffic-free moments have become something of a tradition during major holidays, giving those who stay back a rare glimpse of the city’s potential without its usual vehicular chaos.

While the peace is expected to be short-lived, for now, Bengaluru residents are soaking in the luxury of open roads, quick commutes, and a reminder of what city life could be — if only for a few days.