KSRTC rolls out 15 new bus pick‑up points in Bengaluru to ease Deepavali traffic

The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has launched 15 city‑wide bus pick‑up points in Bengaluru starting Friday, November 6, to cut traffic snarls around the Kempegowda Bus Station (Majestic) during the Deepavali holidays. The points let commuters board KSRTC inter‑city buses closer to their neighbourhoods, reducing the need to travel to the central terminal. KSRTC officials said passengers can select their preferred pick‑up point when booking tickets, which should lower the number of buses entering the Majestic area and ease pressure on surrounding roads. The move targets commuters from far‑flung suburbs such as Electronics City, Whitefield and Jayanagar, who often carry heavy luggage and travel late at night to reach the terminal. An official noted that Bengaluru’s expansion across hundreds of square kilometres makes the old model of a few central terminals – Kempegowda, Shanthinagar and Mysuru Road Satellite – less practical. Private operators have already offered multiple boarding spots, and KSRTC hopes the new system makes its services more competitive. In parallel, the corporation has added over 2,000 special buses on November 6 and 7 to destinations across Karnataka, expanding beyond the usual focus on Mangaluru, Belagavi and Hubballi‑Dharwad to include many towns and taluk centres. The extra services aim to meet the higher passenger demand typical of the Deepavali break.

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Bengaluru’s rapid growth has pushed residential and commercial zones far from the historic bus hubs, making centralized boarding points prone to jams, especially during festivals when travel spikes.