BENGALURU: Bengalureans queued up outside Lalbagh Botanical Gardens on Tuesday morning from as early as 6 am to take a walk for the first time after the lockdown norms were relaxed. The Horticulture Department officials also had a tough time managing the crowds.
On Tuesday, around 5,000 people visited the botanical gardens in the morning and evening. They queued up outside the gates as early as 6 am to go through the screening process.
“We started to restrict crowd movement from 8.40 am onwards, because at 9 am the park needs to be closed. It is easier to manage the entry of people even till 8.50 am, when the parks are smaller like BBMP Parks, but it is difficult to do the same at Lalbagh and Cubbon Park, which is 240 acre and 190 acre, respectively,” said Venkatesh B, Horticulture Department Director.
Horticulture department officials had arranged for loudspeakers in autorickshaws which went around in Lalbagh asking people to leave the premises after 9 am.
The situation at Cubbon Park was very similar. Around 4,000 people stood in queues, those not wearing masks were sent back, and regular patrolling was done by department officials.
Looking at the huge number of people turning up, officials are mulling submitting a proposal to the CM to revise evening park timings from 5-7 pm to 4.30- 6.30 pm.
“It is difficult to manage the crowd during evening, especially after sunset. While things can be managed inside Lalbagh, it will be difficult in Cubbon Park which has seven gates,” another official said.
Opening of markets creates ruckus
A day after shops and markets were allowed to function, chaos ensued in Shanthinagar and Residency Road.
BBMP health officials shut down some shops for not following hygiene standards. At K R Market, when some owners opened shops without permission, the BBMP, along with police officers, had to shut them down forcefully.
The officials have decided to conduct surprise inspections and take action against violators.