BENGALURU: With Thursday being the first phase for Karnataka’s Lok Sabha polls, many packed their bags to leave in their private vehicles, resulting in severe congestion along the city’s exit routes. Clogged traffic and jams were witnessed, with Mysore Road facing the worst of it.
Since Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation diverted a significant part of its fleet for poll duties, the resulting shortage of buses to outstation destinations drove people to opt for private transport instead.
Moreover since many chose to head out during the early morning hours directly after voting, it resulted in a bumper-to-bumper traffic on Mysore Road for almost four hours.
A senior police officer from Kengeri traffic police said, “The voters hailing from Mandya, Maddur, Srirangapatna and Mysore did not have public buses or any other private vehicles to commute. Thus they came in their own vehicles from Byatarayanapurnear Hosaguddadahalli junction. More than 15,000 vehicles were on the way towards Mandya and Mysore. While there was congestion in the morning, traffic movement went back to normal around noon. Only a few KSRTC buses were seen left at Satellite bus stop and they too were fully crowded with passengers.”
Similar traffic congestion was reported on Nelamanagala and Tumakuru highways where commuters were leaving for Kunigal, Tumakuru and Chitradurga. Many were also seen making their way to Goa, Mangaluru, Chikkamagalur and other similar locations for a holiday, with Friday being a holiday on occasion of Good Friday.
Traffic was hit from Parle G factory till Dobbespet, and vehicles were stuck on Madanayakanahalli and Arishinakunte.
KR Puram traffic police reported heavy congestion till Wednesday midnight, which returned to normalcy on Thursday morning. Those who left the city at midnight took their own vehicles to reach Hosakote, Kolar and Mulabagilu. Heavy traffic was also witnessed from Old Madras Road till Benniganahalli Gate.
In Electronic city, traffic took a hit in the early hours and Tamil Nadu transport buses were being run to take passengers who left the city to reach Hosur and other areas in the state.
When election officials got stuck at polling booth...
Bengaluru : Thursday rains coinciding with the Lok Sabha polls forced many staff and election officials to stay back in the polling booths till 9 pm with no transportation to reach their houses or bus stations. Many officials were stuck at polling stations due to heavy rain across the city even as some tried to book cabs which were also difficult to get.
A polling officer from Domlur was stuck at Jnanakshi School in RR Nagar on Mysore Road. Around 8.30pm he tried to book a cab as no vehicles were seen around. When he approached auto drivers, they demanded exorbitant fare. One of them, a pregnant woman officer, called her family to come pick her up due to lack of transport service to duty officials. Another officer posted in the group created by an election commission officer: “I am still in Anekal polling station number 119 and the station is filled with water due to leakage from the roof. No transportation has been availed since it is night.” (Sic) Some of the officials who came handover EVM machines also were forced to wait at the centres for about an hour.
Special train to clear voter rush
Bengaluru: To clear the extra rush of passengers expected to leave the city to take part in Phase-3 of elections as well as the general summer rush, a special train will run on April 22 from Yeshwantpur to Bidar and back. According to an official release from the South Western Railway, the Yeshwantpur - Bidar Tatkal Express Special will depart from Yeshwantpur at 6.10 pm on April 22 and reach Bidar at 6.30 am on Tuesday. In the return direction, the Bidar-Yeshwantpur Tatkal Express Special will depart from Bidar at 7 pm on April 23 and reach Yeshwantpur at 8.15 am on April 24.
Two brawls at polling booths
Bengaluru: Phase one election in Karnataka state saw a peaceful ending as the state police took adequate measures to maintain law and order. However, two incidents of fight were reported in Mandya and Bengaluru. In Mandya, there was a disturbance between the supporters of Nikhil Gowda and Sumalatha, which was disbursed by the police. In Bengaluru, Syed Imran (30) was assaulted near a polling booth in Vijinapura where he was canvasing on behalf of Congress. Three BJP party workers told him he should not be near the polling booth and attacked him.