Field day for autos

Field day for autos
By Jagadish Angadi, DH News Service,Bangalore:

The Central Division police beefed up security to ensure peaceful celebrations on the New Year’s eve. More than 1,300 police officials, from law and order and traffic divisions, were pressed into service on Monday.

Entry of vehicles, except police vehicles, from Anil Kumble Circle up to the junction to Residency Road near Mayo Hall were restricted till around 8.30 pm. Similarly, entry of vehicles from Cauvery Emporium junction up to Opera House Junction on Brigade Road was also restricted.

Traffic police set up kiosks at Queen’s Circle, Anil Kumble Circle, Brigade Circle, CTO and Basaveshwar Circle to make announcements regarding traffic norms, no-parking zones, ban on entry of vehicles and areas identified for parking of vehicles. The stretch from Cubbon Road Junction to Commercial Street Junction was earmarked for parking vehicles. Late in the evening, police also allowed vehicles to be parked in Manekshaw Parade and BRV Parade Grounds. The police had also put barricades at all junctions in and around M G Road.

Except pubs, bars and restaurants, most of the shops in the M G Road neighbourhood were closed by around 7.30 pm. Some of the bars and restaurants downed the shutters around 8 pm, but some of the bars operated behind the shutters.

Autorickshaw drivers cashed in on the rush by hiking the fares. Some of the drivers were heard demanding fares double the metre fare.

Tight security
The police said that the recent terrorist attacks in Hyderabad and threats to Bangalore from terror groups had also contributed to deploy additional forces on new year’s eve.