<p>Even as traffic police did their best to streamline traffic headed for Aero India, a series of unconnected events created a gridlock along the road leading to Bengaluru International Airport on Sunday. <br /><br />Traffic was expected to be heavy on Sunday, the last day of Aero India. But, the traffic police were overwhelmed by the large traffic snarls which developed on Bengaluru International Airport Road. <br /><br />Slow moving traffic inched past Mekhri Circle towards Yelahanka Air Force station between 10 am and noon even as traffic to the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) rally at the Palace Grounds, added to the gridlock. <br /><br />A senior traffic policeman told Deccan Herald that there was slow-moving traffic all along the road from Esteem Mall towards Yelahanka. <br /><br />More traffic was bottled up near the Yelahanka bypass road. Road widening work near Bagalur Cross compounded the problem. <br /><br />Further, to the ire of commuters, they found themselves stuck behind a procession of the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind that emerged from the Idgah Maidan. <br /><br />Commuters expressed anger that the reserved lane for Aero India commuters had served no purpose as many drivers cut across normal traffic lanes in their haste to get to the show.<br /><br />M A Saleem, Additional Commissioner (Traffic & Security) said that the traffic was massive because it was the closing day of the aero show. “More than the residents of the City, people came from surrounding districts to watch the air show — which we had not anticipated.</p>.<p> Though there was some slow moving traffic on the route, there was no traffic logjam,” he said and added that the BSP rally did not pose a serious challenge, as traffic to the rally was diverted through Jayamahal Road, to prevent it from merging with traffic bound for the airshow. <br /><br />A senior traffic policeman posted at Yelahanka Air Force Station, however, said that there was a lot of rush in the areas leading to Gate 2 and Gate 5, which were open to the public. <br /><br />Visitors to the airshow complained that they were stopped by ‘overzealous’ traffic wardens who declared that there was no parking space inside the air base. <br /><br />“Despite having a car pass to enter through Gate 2B, we were turned away by the traffic warden who claimed there was no parking there. But, when we entered on foot, we discovered that the entire space was empty,” said an outraged visitor.<br />While four gates were open to the public, visitors were asked to file in a single column for entry into Gate 5. <br /><br />Waiting in the hot sun for a long time tried the patience of many who had paid between Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,000 per ticket. As the crowds swelled, the patience ran short and restless visitors tried to push through. To discipline the crowd, the police resorted to a “mild lathi charge.” </p>
<p>Even as traffic police did their best to streamline traffic headed for Aero India, a series of unconnected events created a gridlock along the road leading to Bengaluru International Airport on Sunday. <br /><br />Traffic was expected to be heavy on Sunday, the last day of Aero India. But, the traffic police were overwhelmed by the large traffic snarls which developed on Bengaluru International Airport Road. <br /><br />Slow moving traffic inched past Mekhri Circle towards Yelahanka Air Force station between 10 am and noon even as traffic to the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) rally at the Palace Grounds, added to the gridlock. <br /><br />A senior traffic policeman told Deccan Herald that there was slow-moving traffic all along the road from Esteem Mall towards Yelahanka. <br /><br />More traffic was bottled up near the Yelahanka bypass road. Road widening work near Bagalur Cross compounded the problem. <br /><br />Further, to the ire of commuters, they found themselves stuck behind a procession of the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind that emerged from the Idgah Maidan. <br /><br />Commuters expressed anger that the reserved lane for Aero India commuters had served no purpose as many drivers cut across normal traffic lanes in their haste to get to the show.<br /><br />M A Saleem, Additional Commissioner (Traffic & Security) said that the traffic was massive because it was the closing day of the aero show. “More than the residents of the City, people came from surrounding districts to watch the air show — which we had not anticipated.</p>.<p> Though there was some slow moving traffic on the route, there was no traffic logjam,” he said and added that the BSP rally did not pose a serious challenge, as traffic to the rally was diverted through Jayamahal Road, to prevent it from merging with traffic bound for the airshow. <br /><br />A senior traffic policeman posted at Yelahanka Air Force Station, however, said that there was a lot of rush in the areas leading to Gate 2 and Gate 5, which were open to the public. <br /><br />Visitors to the airshow complained that they were stopped by ‘overzealous’ traffic wardens who declared that there was no parking space inside the air base. <br /><br />“Despite having a car pass to enter through Gate 2B, we were turned away by the traffic warden who claimed there was no parking there. But, when we entered on foot, we discovered that the entire space was empty,” said an outraged visitor.<br />While four gates were open to the public, visitors were asked to file in a single column for entry into Gate 5. <br /><br />Waiting in the hot sun for a long time tried the patience of many who had paid between Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,000 per ticket. As the crowds swelled, the patience ran short and restless visitors tried to push through. To discipline the crowd, the police resorted to a “mild lathi charge.” </p>
