India, Oct. 23 -- For a brief, blissful break during Diwali week, Bengaluru's usually choked streets offered a rare sight, free-flowing traffic and near-empty roads. But the calm didn't last long. As residents returned from their hometowns after the festive holidays, the city's infamous gridlock made a dramatic comeback, sparking a wave of posts and memes on social media.

A Reddit thread titled "Goodbye empty roads" quickly gained traction, garnering 600 upvotes and nearly 30 replies at the time this article was beign written.

It resonated with several Bengaluru residents and social media users, who shared photos, traffic maps, and humorous takes on the post-Diwali rush. One user quipped, "Yesterday, the time to office was 28-30 mins an...