Twitter humour beats Bengaluru traffic on chock-a-block junctions

Twitter handles created by citizens of infamous jam-prone areas helps people collectively vent frustration

Bengaluru is a city where hi-tech meets traffic. While even the smartest of techies think no use of modern technology can solve the city’s traffic snarls, it sure can provide a vent to people who lose a bit of their sanity during their daily commute.

Twitter has become host to numerous handles named after prominent areas that are well known for chock-a-block traffic. There’s a handle for ‘Silk Board’ - the infamous junction that connects electronic city, where thousands of software engineers work at firms such as Infosys, Philips and Wipro, to downtown Bengaluru. It operates under the handle '@silk_board' and describes the dreaded traffic light as ‘India’s largest parking lot’. "Tired of all the Silk Board jokes. If you are stuck nearby, tweet your complaints to me when you get 3G signal after you reach HSR layout", the handle tweeted.

These handles are not out to provide ‘help’ in the conventional sense. They do provide traffic updates, but you won’t get to them without navigating a hoard of very well thought out trolls.

'Graphite Signal', 'Kadugodi Flyover' and 'Tin Factory', are all superstars of Bengaluru in their own sense. Now they have made their presence felt online thanks to a few citizens with a snarky sense of humour. They operate under handles like '@HebbalFlyover', '@GraphiteSignal' and '@tin_factory'. 

“Traffic Update: RMZ Ecospace flyover has received Series A funding from Softbank after registering 20% QoQ user growth,” reads one tweet from '@silk_board', the handle credited with kicking off the movement in the first place. Nitin Pai, a Bengaluru resident who tweets on '@acorn', tweeted saying: "Mars attained. Next target. Silkboard Junction."

The inability of authorities to find a fix to Bengaluru’s traffic snarls has for long drawn the ire of citizens. With no fix in sight, the general consensus seems to be to post funny updates on Twitter until someone from Bengaluru's municipal corporation (BBMP) falls over due to laughter and rolls into action.

"It is originally inspired by silk board handle which is extremely witty. Each handle will have its unique identity. I will be reporting updates on the Kadugodi flyer," said Tinu Cherian Abraham, a social media expert who runs the '@kadugodiflyover' handle.

Average speeds on most Bengaluru roads is less than 10 kmph. Bengaluru, India's fastest growing city, has the highest concentration of vehicles on its roads. It had 55.6 lakh vehicles as on March 2015, for a population of 9.5 million. It also has the highest traffic violations booked in the country. The city registered 74.36 lakh violations in 2014, average 1.5 violations for each vehicle.