Bengaluru Police Commissioner Seemanth Kumar Singh, along with other senior officers, rides motorcycles during peak hours to inspect the area ahead of New Year’s Eve celebrations at Bridge Road in Bengaluru.
Credit: DH PHOTO/PUSHKAR V
As Bengaluru prepares for New Year's Eve, traffic police have announced large-scale restrictions across the Central Business District (CBD), Koramangala and Indiranagar to manage huge crowds.
From 8 pm on December 31 to 2 am on January 1 some important roads will be closed regarding private vehicle movement.
In a move to prevent accidents and "wheeling" (stunt riding), Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah announced that all 50 flyovers in the city will be closed (except the airport flyover) to two-wheelers on the night of December 31 from 11 pm to 6 am the next morning.
Police in city have deployed 10 drones, 249 Cobra patrol vehicles and 400 traffic wardens.
To keep a close watch on crowds authorities have put in place the following arrangements:
- Four central rooms and 78 watchtowers
- 164 women help desks
- 55 ambulances stationed at strategic points
- Women cab and auto drivers for female commuters
- Extended BMTC and Namma MEtro services
- Drunk driving checks
- Strict checks at hotels, lodges pubs and entertainment centres
- Hospitals set up
Traffic curbs
CBD: Brigade Road and MG Road
The heart of the city will transform into a pedestrian-only zone.
No entry (8 pm - 2 am): Entry for all vehicles is prohibited on MG Road (Anil Kumble Circle to Mayo Hall), Brigade Road, Church Street, Rest House Road, and Museum Road.
Parking ban (From 4 pm onwards): Parking is strictly prohibited on the said roads. Drivers must vacate their vehicles by 4 pm on Wednesday or face towing and fines.
One-way pedestrians: Pedestrians on Brigade Road will only be allowed to walk from MG Road towards Opera Junction. Moving in the opposite direction is prohibited.
Where to park: Public parking is available at the Shivajinagar BMTC Complex (1st Floor), UB City, Garuda Mall, and Kamaraj Road.
Koramangala: Y D Math Road
Traffic restrictions will be in place around the 80 Feet Road and peripheral lanes.
Curbs: Traffic will be restricted on Y D Math Road up to Microland Junction and connecting side roads like JNC Road and 17th H Main.
Diversions: Vehicles from Adugodi towards Sony World Junction must proceed via Madiwala Checkpost and Water Tank Junction.
Parking: Allowed at BBMP Ground opposite Munireddy Kalyana Mantap and near Bethany School.
Indiranagar and ITPL
Parking ban: Both sides of 100 Feet Road (from Old Madras Road to Domlur flyover) and 12th Main Road will be 'No Parking' zones. Similar restrictions apply to ITPL Main Road near Graphite India Junction.
Mall of Asia and Orion Mall
No parking: Batarayanapura Service Road (Kodigehalli Signal to Alasandra) and Dr Rajkumar Road (Navarang to Soap Factory) are strictly no-parking zones to prevent gridlock near the malls.
Transport and Safety Measures
Public transport: The BTP has urged citizens to use Namma Metro and BMTC. Special bus and Tempo Travellers services will operate from points like Anil Kumble Junction, Trinity Circle, and Nexus Mall.
Cabs/Autos: Designated pick-up and drop points have been set up at BRV Junction, CTO Junction, and near the Mall of Asia gates to avoid roadside boarding.
Zero tolerance: Drunk driving checks will be conducted at 166 identified points. "If you are in a group, ensure at least one person is a designated sober driver," a senior officer said.
Hospitals on standby
Hospitals in the city are too gearing up to manage emergency cases. Doctors said that emergency rooms at most hospitals have been equipped with additional beds and staff for December 31 to ensure prompt treatment.
Dr Rajiv Jain, HOD and Consultant, Emergency Medicine, said, “Ten additional beds are being prepared, and our trauma teams and anaesthetists will be on standby in the hospital as we are expecting road accident cases.”
Dr Harshitha Sridhar, Head and Consultant, Emergency Medicine, said, “If the number of cases exceeds our emergency room capacity, we activate code yellow, in which additional staff are called in.”
CM chairs high-level meeting
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had also directed the Bengaluru police to implement stringent security measures to ensure a "trouble-free" New Year’s Eve, specifically emphasising the safety of women and children.
The CM chaired a high-level meeting with top brass from the police and various civic departments and reviewed the city's preparedness for the upcoming New Year celebrations.
A massive force of 20,000 police personnel will be deployed across the city to maintain law and order. This also includes an additional 1,200 personnel drawn from other districts to bolster the city's strength.
Extended BMTC services
Addressing the challenge of post-celebration commutes, the CM directed the BMTC to operate extra bus services after midnight to ensure citizens reach home safely.
The Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) will add around 140 buses on select routes to handle the New Year’s Eve rush on December 31.
Of the 140 buses, about 70 will be deployed from busy areas such as MG Road and Koramangala, based on anticipated demand.
Extended BMRCL services
The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL), has also extended metro train services on the Purple, Green, and Yellow lines.
On December 31, the last Namma Metro train from Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Station Majestic, towards all four directions - Whitefield, Challaghatta, on the Purple Line and Madavara, Silk Institute on the Green Line— will depart at 2.45 am.
On the Purple Line, the last metro train from Whitefield will depart at 1.45 am, and at 2 am from Challaghatta. Subsequently, on the Green Line, the last trains from Madavara and Silk Institute will depart at 2 am.
Starting from 11.30 pm till the extended service period, trains will operate at 8-minute intervals on the Purple and Green Lines and at 15-minute intervals on the Yellow Line.
To keep a close watch on crowds authorities have also put in place the following arrangements:
- Four central rooms and 78 watchtowers
- 164 women help desks
- 55 ambulances stationed at strategic points
- Women cab and auto drivers for female commuters
- Drunk driving checks
- Strict checks at hotels, lodges pubs and entertainment centres