Overview

• The Varamahalakshmi Puja holiday saw schools close citywide, with offices also shut, emptying major thoroughfares.
• Commuters reported via Reddit that a journey which normally took two hours was completed in just 35 minutes on Thursday.
• On-street two-wheeler parking disappeared from busy roadsides, with metro users reporting significantly lighter crowds during peak hours.
• Google Trends data showed a peak in searches for “Varamahalakshmi pooja timings 2025” coinciding with the festival day’s traffic drop.
• Experts say boosting public transport use, coupled with smarter urban planning, could sustain the low congestion levels seen on the holiday.