Trapped in traffic: Exam-bound kids take 2.5 hours to cover 4km in Bengaluru

BENGALURU: Hundreds of school-children commuting along the Varthur-Gunjur stretch of SH-35 endured a harrowing Thursday as severe traffic congestion delayed school buses by up to 40 minutes in the morning and left students stranded on roads for hours while returning home. A 4km drive took 2.5 hours, stuck mostly in traffic.The stretch hosts 18-20 big schools, with many conducting mid-term examinations. Parents told TOI children reached exam halls anxious after school buses arrived late at pickup points and were subsequently caught in gridlocked traffic.The evening commute was worse. Several students took up to 1.5 hours more to return home. Some schools accommodated affected students by providing extra time to complete exams.The Varthur-Gunjur stretch, part of SH-35, is undergoing infrastructure works being executed by Karnataka Road Development Corporation.