Open Streets Day not a hit with elders

The first Open Streets Day in HSR Layout on Sunday inconvenienced commuters, especially senior citizens, who were forced to walk because of the bar on entry of vehicles in the area.

K K Paulose, an advocate residing in the area, whose car was not allowed entry by the police, said: “I am above 60 and have undergone an angioplasty because of which I am not supposed to walk long distances. My son was driving me back home and on our return, we were asked to park the car near the BDA complex flyover and walk up. I tried to reason out with the police to let our vehicle inside as it was a good distance from my house to walk. They refused and asked me to walk up.”

Paulose had to then go to the police station and lodge a complaint in this regard. “It took a while to reach the inspector who was at the spot. He then connected us to the other cops and they let us pass,” he said.

Paulose was among the many senior citizens and those with health ailments who had to bear the brunt of the vehicle ban. Anticipating that challenges of this sort would arise, the senior citizen claimed that he had sent four appeals including one to the chief secretary to look into this issue.

“It is like denying someone's basic rights. I wrote to them, but have not received any response in this regard,” he added.

The Department of Urban Land Transport, Traffic police, City police, Department of Forest, Ecology and Environment, Department of Tourism, the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike and Karnataka State Pollution Control Board were roped in for the initiative.