Back-to-office blues: Bengaluru's ORR tech parks see up to 45% rise in private vehicles; Wednesday most congested

Traffic on Outer Ring Road

Bengaluru’s IT corridor Outer Ring Road (ORR) is witnessing a sharp spike in traffic congestion, with weekday vehicle entries at major tech parks rising by as much as 45 percent in June 2025 compared to the same period last year.

According to data compiled by the Outer Ring Road Companies Association (ORRCA) and Bengaluru Traffic Police from major tech parks between Central Silk Board and KR Puram, the surge signals a strong shift back to mandatory office attendance after years of hybrid and remote work setups popularised during and in the immediate aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic. The situation was made worse with bike taxis, a popular commute option, being banned from June 16.

Joint commissioner of police (traffic) MN Anucheth told Moneycontrol: “Analysis of vehicle parking data from 26 tech parks on ORR indicates a 20-45 percent increase in private vehicles entering these tech parks in June 2025 compared to June 2024. There could be several reasons for this—more people might be working from office or the mode of transport may have changed. We need to analyse and understand this further. We will work with the companies, tech parks and ORRCA to explore viable solutions.”

Also read: A week after bike taxi ban, Bengaluru sees spike in traffic jams, costlier auto rides & angry gig workers

Wednesday the most congested

Traffic tends to be heaviest midweek, as many tech employees avoid working from the office on Mondays and Fridays to extend their weekends.

The biggest traffic spike was recorded on a Wednesday, when vehicle entries on average rose from 82,168 in June 2024 to 1.18 lakh in June 2025—a 45 percent increase. Congestion levels more than doubled the same day, jumping 127 percent, from 997.5 km to 2,267.4 km. Congestion is measured by queue length—the distance traffic backs up from a specific point on the road.

On Mondays, the average traffic volume rose 20 percent while congestion jumped 125 percent. Tuesdays saw just a 5 percent rise in vehicles (from 1.03 lakh to 1.08 lakh), but congestion surged 188 percent. Thursdays recorded a 22 percent rise in vehicle entries and a 106 percent jump in congestion, while Fridays saw a 37 percent increase in vehicles and 88 percent more congestion.

Also read: Bengaluru’s Outer Ring Road at breaking point: Traffic woes, poor infra trigger outrage

Moneycontrol had reported that congestion in the city worsened after the bike taxi ban, with TomTom data showing that 7  pm congestion levels exceeded the norm—77 percent on June 16 (versus the normal 59 percent) and peaking at 83 percent on June 18 (versus 61 percent). The ban forced many office-goers to switch to personal vehicles, while auto rickshaw fares surged due to increased demand.

The 17-km ORR stretch between KR Puram and Silk Board is home to over 30 large tech parks, housing more than 500 companies and an estimated 9.5 lakh employees. This tech corridor generates a significant portion of Bengaluru’s annual IT revenue.

Also read: Traffic congestion in Bengaluru's tech corridor costs $15 bn annually: Outer Ring Road Companies Association

The Bengaluru Traffic Police has been collecting daily parking lot data from tech parks to enable staggered entry and exit timings to ease congestion. In addition to vehicles heading to tech parks, this key arterial road is used by those from educational institutions and residential complexes, and office-goers who work in Hebbal, Electronics City and other business districts.

Social media users also flagged worsening conditions. “Hopeless jam continues on ORR,” one user wrote. “Last week it took 2 hours from Silk Board to Marathahalli. Today it’s worse- 2.5 hours.”

Traffic police officials have advised lane-specific routes on ORR between Bellandur and Devarabeesanahalli Junction, based on commuter destinations. Manas Das, the ORRCA president, told Moneycontrol, “I think many companies are now insisting on employees coming in at least three days a week. Earlier, it was far more flexible—some came once a week, others not at all. Now, attendance is being tracked more seriously.”

Das added that ORRCA is working with the traffic police on various measures—streamlining junctions, reviewing U-turn spots, removing illegal parking and enforcing one-way systems where needed.

Also read: Bengaluru's Outer Ring Road Companies Association flags poor condition of tech corridor

“The shift from private to public transport is the goal,” he said. “The Blue Line Metro (Central Silk Board–KR Puram), expected around September 2026, could play a huge role.”

Urban mobility experts suggest a range of steps: fast-tracking the Blue Line Metro, increasing Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation bus frequency, introducing shuttle services from metro stations to tech campuses, allowing buses inside campuses, promoting carpooling and encouraging hybrid work policies. In September 2021, the Karnataka government asked tech parks to extend work-from-home orders till December 2022 to reduce traffic during metro construction. Following a public backlash, the government withdrew the advisory.

Constructed in phases from 1996 to 2002, the 60-km ORR was originally designed to link highways and ease city congestion. Today, it is one of the most clogged corridors. According to ORRCA, IT firms on the ORR contribute $22 billion—about 32 percent of Bengaluru’s total IT revenues. Industry bodies like NASSCOM have called for the 17-km stretch between Central Silk Board and KR Puram to be designated a separate municipal zone. Real estate group CiRE has also proposed that the 30-km stretch from Hebbal to Central Silk Board be managed independently.

Also read: Traffic cops propose carpooling, shuttle buses to ease congestion on Bengaluru's Outer Ring Road