Over 3,000 security personnel, including those of the Central Reserve Police Force and Karnataka State Reserve Police, were part of the tight security measures for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s maiden visit to the city on Tuesday.
Motorists had to wait for long hours on the roads, especially on HAL Airport Road, for the prime minister’s convoy to pass.
Senior police officials, including City Police Commissioner M N Reddi, supervised the arrangements. Policemen in civil clothes were stationed at various points to keep an eye on suspicious movements. Traffic policemen were on their heels to ensure a signal-free corridor for the prime minister’s convoy.
Despite the efforts of the traffic police, vehicles piled up on Old Madras Road, Domlur, Indiranagar, Old Airport Road and surrounding areas for more than two hours. Vehicular movement came to a standstill and motorists returning home after the day’s work were stuck at signals. Traffic was affected on Old Airport Road as vehicles from the ITPL side were stopped for more than 20 minutes to allow the convoy to move towards Raj Bhavan.
Though Modi’s convoy reached Raj Bhavan in 15 minutes, it took a couple of hours for traffic to be back on track.
