As ‘Cyclone Thane’ waned, the 2012 mania took people by storm in the City late Saturday night.
With optimism writ large, the celebrants in upbeat mood headed towards their favourite food joints, malls, shops, pubs and bars in the City, which remained open past midnight to cater to the revellers.
Dubbed as the signature of Brand Bangalore - MG Road, Brigade Road, Church Street and Residency Road - all wore a festive look to receive the revellers and the New Year. A sea of humanity poured into these locations, even before midnight, to witness the momentous occasion- the arrival of 2012 and the celebrations to follow.
The City, which otherwise sleeps much earlier as compared to other metropolitan cities of the country, was wide awake to greet the New Year. Youth from every corner of the city were at the revelry points, dancing and enjoying the transition period.
The crowd became hysterical well before the stroke of midnight, as the enthusiasts rejoiced the occasion by sporting China-made horns, whistling, bursting crackers and dancing.
To supplement the revelry, the services of Namma Metro, the biggest gift of 2011 to Bangalore, was extended by a few hours past midnight.
As if a New Year gift, the weather improved in the City much to the delight of merrymakers. The fear of weather playing spoilsport subsided as the cyclone in the Bay of Bengal weakened.
Police had a tough time dealing with the swelling number of revellers. More than 16,000 policemen were on their toes in different pockets of the City. Two platoons of Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP) were stationed at the Brigade Road junction.
Though the New Year celebrations passed off peacefully, sporadic skirmishes were reported in some parts. Some of the major flyovers were blocked from 10 pm till early morning, leading to chaotic traffic on roads beneath.