Traffic chaos grips KR Market ahead of Varamahalakshmi festival amid festive shopping rush, illegal vehicle parking
Bengaluru: With the Varamahalakshmi festival just a day away, Bengaluru’s iconic KR Market has turned into a buzzing hub of activity as thousands of shoppers throng the area to buy flowers, fruits, banana stalks, mango leaves, and other pooja essentials. However, the festive fervour has brought with it a familiar headache — massive traffic congestion, worsened by unauthorised parking and a lack of traffic regulation.
From KR Market flyover to Kalasipalya Road, JC Road, Corporation Circle, Mysuru Road, and Town Hall junction, vehicular movement remained severely affected throughout Thursday, with vehicles crawling or completely stuck in long jams. Motorists were forced to navigate narrow lanes where cars and bikes were randomly parked, often on half the road, choking access to even BMTC buses and emergency vehicles.
Our ground report reveals that the KR Market flyover, especially the stretch between Sirsi Circle and Town Hall, was heavily encroached by parked vehicles, causing severe inconvenience to daily commuters and festival shoppers alike.
While vendors expect brisk business during the Varamahalakshmi festival, flower and fruit prices have surged sharply, with customers braving high costs to complete their rituals.
Many citizens expressed anger over the lack of police presence and absence of regulated parking zones, urging authorities to manage the crowd and traffic flow better, particularly during major Hindu festivals that trigger large-scale shopping.
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