India, Aug. 10 -- Traffic across the city and its adjoining suburbs came to a near standstill on Saturday, as a combination of festivities, relentless rains, and pothole-ridden roads triggered massive gridlocks. The sudden surge in vehicular movement overwhelmed key routes, leaving commuters stuck in jams that lasted for hours.

Many citizens, travelling for the festival or on last-minute shopping trips, preferred personal vehicles-especially four-wheelers-over public transport, overwhelming an already strained road network. Smaller lanes quickly clogged before the congestion spilled onto main thoroughfares.

Frustrated citizens took to the social media platform X, sharing images and videos from stranded vehicles. Complaints ranged from m...