Bengaluru experienced severe traffic congestion on Thursday evening as thousands of vehicles returned to the city post-Christmas and New Year holidays. Major routes including the Bengaluru-Mysuru highway, Tumakuru Road, and NICE Road saw extensive queues and slow-moving traffic, with commuters reporting delays of several hours. While FASTag facilitated electronic toll collection, the sheer volume of returning holidaymakers overwhelmed toll plazas, creating significant bottlenecks. Traffic police deployed additional personnel, but the surge exceeded normal levels, leading to prolonged travel times.