Bengaluru’s traffic problem is no longer just about too many cars during office hours. The city’s population, built-up area and number of vehicles have grown much faster than its roads, making congestion a major problem.
At the India Today Karnataka Summit 2026, Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda explained why the problem has become so difficult to solve. He said Bengaluru needs a combination of better public transport and new road infrastructure, rather than relying on one major project.
BENGALURU GREW FASTER THAN ITS ROADS
Bengaluru now has around 1.5 crore vehicles, which is almost one vehicle for every person.
Gowda said the city’s urban area has grown by around 260% in 25 years, while its population has also increased rapidly. Bengaluru’s population growth rate has been around 3.2% annually over the past two decades, higher than cities such as Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai, Mumbai and Kolkata.
Vehicle numbers have grown even faster, at around 9.6%, putting enormous pressure on the existing road network.
WHY SOME AREAS FACE MORE TRAFFIC
Gowda compared older planned areas such as Jayanagar with newer parts of eastern Bengaluru.
In Jayanagar, around 23% of the land in a 100-acre area is devoted to roads. In eastern Bengaluru, that figure is only around 8%.
He said eastern Bengaluru generates around 75% of complaints despite covering only about 20% of the city’s area.
According to Gowda, unplanned growth and unauthorised development over the past 25 years have left many newer parts of the city without enough road capacity.
He also admitted that governments over the past 25 years had failed to provide adequate road infrastructure.
BENGALURU’S SUCCESS IS ADDING TO THE PRESSURE
The traffic problem is also linked to Bengaluru’s economic growth.
The city accounts for around 36% of India’s office-space consumption, ahead of Hyderabad, Mumbai, Delhi, Pune and Chennai.
More companies and workers mean more homes, commuting and vehicles, increasing pressure on the city’s infrastructure.
TomTom’s 2025 data cited at the summit showed Bengaluru with around 74% congestion. Commuters reportedly lose about 168 hours a year in rush-hour traffic, while average rush-hour speeds are around 13 kmph.
TUNNELS ALONE WON’T SOLVE THE PROBLEM
Gowda said Bengaluru cannot solve traffic simply by building tunnels or flyovers.
He believes mass transit is the main solution, but roads will still be necessary because the city already has around 1.5 crore vehicles.
Bengaluru currently has around 7,000 BMTC buses, carrying roughly 45 lakh passengers every day. The government plans to add another 4,500 buses, most of them electric.
The Metro currently covers around 96 km, with plans to expand it to 170 km and eventually 250 km.
The government is also investing around Rs 23,000 crore in suburban rail, with a target of completing 148 km by 2030.
MORE ELEVATED ROADS AND TUNNELS
Since widening existing roads would require demolishing homes and displacing families, Gowda said Bengaluru needs alternatives.
The government is considering around 120 km of elevated roads and 40 km of tunnels.
These projects would work alongside buses, Metro and suburban rail rather than replace them.
Overall, Gowda estimates that Bengaluru could need around Rs 3 lakh crore for the combination of Metro, suburban rail, buses, elevated roads and tunnels.
THE BIGGER CHALLENGE
Bengaluru’s traffic problem has developed over decades. The city has expanded rapidly, vehicle ownership has exploded and many newer areas were not planned with enough road capacity.
The government’s approach is therefore to provide more public transport while also increasing road capacity.
More buses, Metro and suburban rail could reduce dependence on private vehicles, while elevated roads and tunnels could provide additional space for the vehicles that remain.
The real challenge will be implementing all these projects quickly enough to keep up with Bengaluru’s continued growth.
