BENGALURU: Lakhs of Bengalureans gathered on Brigade Road, Church Street and MG Road on Tuesday night to welcome 2025 with cheers, music and lights, bidding farewell to 2024.
Celebrations reached their peak as the clock struck midnight, with colourful fireworks lighting up the sky and revellers whooping in joy.
The streets of Central Bengaluru were alive with enthusiastic youngsters dancing and singing to music. Pubs and restaurants in Koramangala, Indiranagar, JP Nagar, Whitefield, HRBR Layout, Kammanahalli and other hotspots saw packed crowds enjoying New Year’s Eve.
While youngsters headed to pubs or ganged up at their friends’ houses, many seniors confined themselves to their homes. A good number of Bengalureans travelled to various destinations to escape the hustle and bustle.
Ashwini, a party-goer residing in Koramangala, said, “I wanted to welcome the New Year with my family at home. We headed to a restaurant for dinner and reached home for a cozy celebration.”
Restaurants and pubs ensured increased security to make sure the celebratory mood was not dampened, with male and female bouncers to manage crowds. Fahad Sundka, owner of Gastro Pub on Church Street, said, “More than 50 per cent of our customers came through reservations, while the remaining with on-spot booking. Safety was our biggest priority, especially for women.”
Restaurants and pubs across Koramangala and Indiranagar were packed, with many venues reaching their booking limits by early evening. New dishes and drinks had been curated for the New Year celebration, along with the everyday menu they serve.
SAFETY FIRST
On Brigade Road, where lakhs of people gather traditionally to welcome the New Year, police started dispersing the crowd a while after the clock struck midnight. Policemen in plainclothes mingled with the crowd to ensure no untoward incidents took place.
Stringent security measures were implemented across the city. Police had installed temporary CCTV cameras in crowded places, and 114 women’s safety islands and 54 emergency health centres were set up across the city.
While entering Brigade Road, police checked individuals with metal detectors. Temporary watchtowers and a mobile command control room van were also deployed to monitor the area.
Additionally, police used drone cameras for surveillance, ensuring real-time monitoring to prevent untoward incidents. A total of 11,830 police personnel, including two additional commissioners, a joint commissioner, and 15 deputy commissioners, were deployed to oversee the arrangements.
Traffic police and traffic wardens were deployed to manage traffic and curb drink driving on Tuesday night. Except for the flyover to Kempegowda International Airport (KIA), all other flyovers were closed as a precautionary measure.
INPUTS: Rakshith Gowda, Ritika Mitra and Bavana Thalathoti Vinod