Key transit hubs — including Majestic and Yeshwantpur — witnessed long queues stretching hundreds of metres as commuters poured back into the city following the festive break.

A video clip circulating on social media showed security personnel setting up barricades to manage the crowd at Yeshwantpur Metro station early in the morning. Similar scenes were reported at Majestic, Bengaluru's busiest interchange where the Green and Purple Metro lines converge.

Officials from the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) confirmed a sharp rise in ridership compared to earlier in the week. On Wednesday, BMRCL recorded only 5,88,674 commuters, roughly half its daily average, but numbers were expected to double on Thursday.

'I planned to take the Metro to my home in Dasarahalli, but the queue was too long for a senior citizen like me. Many passengers were carrying heavy luggage, so I opted for a cab despite the high fares,' said George Joseph, 65, who arrived at KSR Bengaluru City railway station around 7 am.

While acknowledging the heavy rush, BMRCL officials said operations remained smooth and no service disruptions were reported. However, commuters heading towards Whitefield complained of overcrowded trains and long wait times.

'It took nearly 30 minutes just to reach the platform. The trains were packed — there was barely room to breathe. Travelling all the way to Whitefield after an overnight train journey was exhausting,' said Mohan Kumar, a resident of Whitefield.

According to data from the South Western Railway (SWR), more than 9.5 lakh passengers travelled during the Deepavali festive period. The railway zone operated 482 trips through 164 special trains, generating revenue of over ₹71 lakh.

The Bengaluru division alone ran a record 316 trains on Sunday, marking one of the busiest travel days of the year. Officials noted that the influx of passengers was expected to remain high through the weekend as people returned to work and colleges after the festival break.

Apart from rail and Metro congestion, private and state-run buses also contributed to heavy vehicular traffic across the city's southern and eastern corridors. Hosur Road, which serves as a major entry point for interstate buses from Kerala and Tamil Nadu, recorded a total congestion length of 53 km until 7 pm — significantly higher than in the preceding days.

Traffic peaked between 8 am and 9 am, with hundreds of buses entering the city simultaneously. City traffic police deployed additional personnel along Hosur Road, Silk Board Junction, and Madiwala to regulate vehicular movement.

Authorities anticipate the congestion to persist through the weekend. Many companies in Bengaluru's IT and tech corridors have extended work-from-home arrangements until Friday, allowing employees to return gradually.

Traffic police and BMRCL have urged commuters to plan their travel in advance and use public transport where possible to reduce bottlenecks. With the city's population swelling post-holiday, transportation officials are closely monitoring passenger flow to ensure safety and smooth movement.