As COVID-19-induced Lockdown Curbs Ease, Traffic Jam Returns in Bengaluru

BENGALURU:
The notorious traffic snarls returned to haunt Bengaluru as the lockdown curbs imposed more than a month ago to contain COVID-19 were eased on Monday.

Hundreds of vehicles coming from the neighbouring Hosur in Krishnagiri district of Tamil Nadu were seen stuck in long queues at Attibele in Bengaluru.

The chaotic traffic extended up to Bommanahalli and Silk Board Junction.

There was a chock-a-block at Freedom Park, Seshadripuram, Malleswaram, Town Hall, Richmond Road and Kempe Gowda Road right in the middle of the city as well.

Banashankari and areas near Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research, and the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) too saw traffic jams.

“The rush on the street is scary as we may be inviting another wave of COVID-19,” R Venkatesh, who saw heavy traffic on the road at Banashankari, said.

Reports reaching here suggested that key roads in big towns such as Kalaburagi, Vijayapura and Hubballi too witnessed heavy vehicular movement.

While imposing a stringent lockdown from May 10 onwards, the Karnataka government had given daily relaxation from 6 AM to 10 AM.

Now the relaxation has been extended from 6 AM to 2 PM daily except for weekends in 19 districts, which saw substantial reduction in COVID infections.

Autorickshaws and taxis are now permitted to ply.

The strict curbs will remain in effect in 11 districts, where the positivity rate has not come down to desired levels, with relaxation remaining unchanged from 6 AM to 10 AM.