Traffic snarls in the City are too commonplace to be considered newsworthy. But when vehicles come to a standstill due to a dozen tall, four-legged creatures from Rajasthan crossing the road, it is definitely bizarre. This was the  scene at Indiranagar 12th Main Road around 8:20 am early this week, compounding the Monday morning blues for vehicle riders. 

Where did they come from?
So, where from did the camels and their riders emerge? Not very far as they had been encroached the park near the water tank at Jeevan Bima Nagar and made it their home nearly three weeks ago.

Their routine was to hit the streets by 8 am and return to the spot by 7 pm.

The visitors left this ground to move over to a park in Tumkur Road a couple of days ago and many residents of the area are letting out a collective sigh of relief now. Deputy Director of Parliamentary Affairs (Karnataka), Jayakumar, who has lived here for nearly 30 years, is one of them. “I have never come across such an incident here. What is of utmost concern is the infection that camel faeces can spread, particularly to children. Due to the unsanitary conditions children have not been able to play for a fortnight,” he said.

Security issues
He also recalled an incident which took place a week ago when one of the camels came rushing onto the road through an opening in the park.

A father was taking his son to school on a two-wheeler and was shaken out of his wits to see these long pairs of legs emerge from nowhere. He lost balance and fell down. Jayakumar also pointed out to a stray dog taking away raw meat which was fed to the camels and says, “Tasting meat raw tends to make dogs ferocious and a
danger to everyone.”

Vivekanand Sharma, who works in an IT firm had two major concerns — the rights of camels and the potential security threat posed by permitting their riders inside the City. “The riders could easily smuggle even RDX inside the City and get away with it. No one knows what they do during the nights.” 

The camels should ideally be sent to the Bannerghatta National Park or a similar place. 

“From what I have learnt, they are merely exploited to give joy rides for children.”

Recalling similar experiences at Mumbai, Vivekanand said, “One call to animal welfare organisations would bring them immediately and the camels would be taken to Borivilli National Park. Those who exploited these animals were sent to jail. I contacted CUPA here and they told me that it was the responsibility of the forest or the police.”   
A woman walking her dog around was quite sympathetic about the camels grazing on a few plants around. The part about some camels eating the greenery around even within compounds of their houses, was a point of nuisance, many others said.

They can walk too
The humped creatures used to walk past the Indiranagar traffic police station everyday enroute work but seems like the police looked the other way.

A traffic official said, “The camel has every right to move on the road as anyone has. However, the owner of any animal that causes obstruction of traffic or travels in a manner contrary to rules laid down by competent authorities can be booked under section 92 (c) and (d) of the Karnataka Police Act and charged for street offence and nuisance. The Karnataka Traffic Police rules also stipulate certain conditions to be adhered to when taking an animal on the road.”

Not in parks
Horticulture Superintendent (East) of BBMP, Chandrashekar said, “It is definitely illegal to house these animals in a park. “

“Nobody brought it to our notice or we would have stopped it.”

With all the community amenities in Jeevan Bima Nagar handed over to various organisations, this playground is the only one available for residents here.

The BBMP decided to convert it into a Citizens park a year ago and a footpath was laid. Barring that, there is nothing around but weeds.  

Is the present condition of the park such that it is being viewed as an ideal place only for animals?