Bengaluru's Traffic Challenge: Growth Sparks Urgency for Solutions

At the 'Mobility Symposium 2025', Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge emphasized the pressing traffic issues Bengaluru faces due to its rapid growth. With a young, working population accounting for 75.5% of the city and significant office space expansion, infrastructure challenges have soared.

Kharge outlined Bengaluru's development trajectory, noting it absorbed close to 77.92 million square feet of office space last year, with 47% in the city alone. As job creation continues, the city registered 1.2 crore vehicles, adding 7 lakh last year. The Minister advocates improving infrastructure over restricting vehicle registration.

Amidst growing criticism over road conditions and congestion, with industry leaders like Mohandas Pai and Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw expressing concern, Kharge stressed the government's responsibility to act. The outcry intensified after BlackBuck, an online trucking platform, relocated due to infrastructure issues on Bengaluru's Outer Ring Road.

(With inputs from agencies.)