India, Oct. 16 -- Once envisioned as a decongesting arterial corridor connecting major IT hubs, Bengaluru's Outer Ring Road (ORR) has become one of the city's most gridlocked stretches, a cautionary tale of how rapid commercial expansion without adequate infrastructure planning can hinder a city's mobility and productivity.

The ORR was brought to a standstill on Tuesday evening after a bus broke down, causing a massive traffic jam. The breakdown led to gridlock stretching for several kilometres, severely impacting key routes in the city's IT corridor. Commuters were left stranded, with some taking nearly two hours to cover just 12 km.

Urban experts say the transformation of ORR, from a planned bypass road to an overcrowded commercial co...