Bumper-to-bumper traffic jams here

Bumper-to-bumper traffic jams here

The Times of India

Bangalore: Office goers, schoolchildren and tourists were stranded for nearly four hours near Kengeri following a massive traffic jam on Mysore Road on Wednesday. The stretch, which is congested due to road widening, was choka-block with traffic which piled up for several kilometres on both lanes of the road.

The culprit turned out to be four heavy transport vehicles (HTVs) — two sand-laden trucks, a container truck and a BMTC bus — which broke down at a diversion near Kengeri.

Following the huge traffic flow, specially from the Dasara rush, traffic police had diverted heavy vehicles towards Kengeri Satellite Town. While the axle of one sand-laden truck broke while scaling a steep stretch, a BMTC bus and the other two trucks too broke down at the gradient.

The traffic police had a harrowing time towing away the HTVs and regulating traffic.

“If the Bidadi police divert HTVs towards Kumbalgod before entering the city limits, it will help ease the congestion near Kengeri,’’ a traffic police officer said.

Traffic was also affected for several hours in the city as over 1,000 vehicles carrying BSP workers converged in the city for a rally addressed by BSP leader Mayawati at National College grounds. Vehicles were parked haphazardly in many places, some as far as Rajajinagar entrance and Queens Road.

One more jam: Traffic piled up around the Cantonment railway station for over an hour when a bus got stuck under a bridge on Wednesday evening.

The bus, which came into the city with supporters for a political rally, was stuck under the bridge after its carrier got jammed while moving towards Jayamahal to Millers Road. Authorities who inspected the spot however said there was no damage to the railway bridge.

THE CULPRITS

4 heavy vehicles, 2 sand-laden trucks, a container truck and a BMTC bus which broke down at a diversion in Kengeri.