Part 4/14:

The city’s sprawling, unplanned growth, driven by the tech boom and population surges since the late 20th century, has created a patchwork urban landscape. Some areas feature modern infrastructure, while older settlements developed organically without regulation. As a result, Bengaluru ranks as the third slowest city for traffic globally, with an average of 34 minutes needed to traverse every 10 kilometers—worse than London and Manila.

Transportation officials estimate that congestion costs the economy nearly $2 billion annually, with around 700,000 hours lost each year. The congestion also impacts mental health, increasing stress levels and contributing to sleep issues, fatigue, and irritability.