Huge traffic jams as thousands head out of Bengaluru for holidays

BENGALURU: With the weekend and the Christmas and New Year holiday season kicking in, thousands of people headed out of Bengaluru on Saturday. While many set out in private vehicles, hordes of people also took buses and trains to their hometowns.

Traffic was piled up on the Nelamangala highway too.

Thousands of vehicles had lined up at the Kaniminike toll plaza on the Bengaluru-Mysuru highway due to the heavy rush. Motorists waited for at least three hours to cross the toll plaza as traffic had piled up for a few kilometres. Similar was the situation on the Nelamangala highway and other exit points around the city.

There was a huge rush of passengers at Jalahalli; (right) one of the passengers with his torn shirt.

A large number of people heading towards Shivamogga, Davanagere, Hassan and Hubballi were seen waiting to catch buses at Jalahalli Cross. In the melee, the KSRTC staff of a bus plying between Hassan and Chikkamagalur also got into a scuffle with a passenger who questioned why the bus door was shut. They tore his shirt, snatched his mobile phone and dumped him outside.