The city resembles a haunted place these days. Not in the dark of the night, but in broad daylight. Hardly a soul is seen on the baked streets of the city, known for its singeing summer year after year. But this time, it is hotter than normal.
With hardly any customers, shops down their shutters and it’s a virtual bandh in the business district.
The scene is particularly alarming in the last two to three days. This has been the scene in the city since the second week of April.
Morning hours are a bit busy as people tend to finish off their chores before the sun turns the harshest. Shops resume business only at 6 pm, when people venture out of their houses.
Markets remain closed
Raju, the owner of a shop on Kanakadurgamma Road, says he used to transact business worth Rs 4,000 to Rs 5,000 every day. But now, the sum does not cross Rs 2,000.
The same is the plight of shopkeepers in other places like Bengaluru Road, Gandhinagar, mini market, flower market, Jain market, Cowl Bazaar, Infantry Road and S P Road.
No sports in the town
No sportsperson is to be found at the district stadium near the new bus stand, municipal stadium on Rajkumar Road and the BDA football stadium. Daily walkers in these stadiums are seen only before 7 am or after 6 pm.
No relief for students
Channabasava, a student from Basaveshwaranagar in the city, is sad that he is not able to go out to meet friends in the post-exam holidays this year. The searing summer has put paid to the plans to play various games for this youngster who has written his II PU exam.
He is forced to make do with indoor games like chess and carom.
The city registered 42°C on Monday. The temperature was in the range of 30°C to 40°C in the second week of April, but crossed the 40°C barrier and touched 41°C on Sunday, and doesnt seem that the mercury will dip any time soon.
