BENGALURU: Amid heightened concerns around crowding and safety, post the Chinnaswamy stadium stampede, some Bengalureans avoiding large public gatherings chose to stay indoors to welcome the New Year. House parties and small gatherings at friends’ homes emerged as the preferred option, with residents citing a sense of comfort, control and calm.
For some, the mood is shaped by recent experiences with crowd management in the city and the lingering memory of the Chinnaswamy Stadium stampede, as well as the recent Goa nightclub fire where 25 people died, prompting them to take a more cautious approach.
Avoiding packed streets, crowded pubs, traffic restrictions and long queues has also influenced the choice. “It just feels safer and calmer this year,” said a south Bengaluru resident, who welcomed the New Year with a small group of friends.
For others, the decision was also deeply personal. “Staying at home with my family just felt like the right decision this year. It feels wrong to take unnecessary risks, and I want to ring in the New Year with a sense of stability,” said Aryan, a resident of Jayanagar.
Echoing similar concerns, Varun Muthappa, a 21-year-old professional golfer, said avoiding the city centre was a conscious choice. “The traffic, the crowds, it’s all too much on New Year’s Eve. I wanted to ring in the New Year with consistency, not chaos,” he said.