Bengaluru: Bengaluru limped back to normal life on Wednesday, making police lift curfew in all the affected areas two days after violence shook the country’s tech hub in protest against Karnataka releasing Cauvery river water to Tamil Nadu on the Supreme Court’s directives.
“Everything has back to normal across the city. Curfew has been lifted in all the 16 localities in northwest and southwest suburbs. The situation is under full control though ban order remains across the city,” Home Minister G. Parameshwara told reporters here after visiting the disturbed areas. Asserting that there would be no more violence or shutdowns in the city hereafter, the minister said heightened security would remain and close vigil was being maintained against anti-social elements to prevent any untoward incident. “I have visited the areas where curfew was lifted and travelled in metro rail from Mysuru Road station (in the city’s southwest) to Vidhana Soudha station (secretariat) (in the city centre) to demonstrate to the people that normal life is back,” said Parameshswara.
The state road transport corporation has been directed to operate bus services to Tamil Nadu and other states. Partial curfew was enforced three days since Tuesday after violence erupted on Monday in which one person was killed in police firing and 78 vehicles, including trucks and buses, were burnt across the city. A Rapid Action Force battalion was posted at Attibele in the city’s south bordering Hosur town in Tamil Nadu to prevent any untoward incident and regulate road traffic.
With buses, taxis, autos and metro rail returning to the roads, thousands commuted to offices and workplaces in and around the city. Passengers going to or alighting at railway junctions and bus terminals in the city and the airport were able to get transport. “The city is back to normalcy, with shops, hotels, offices, cinema theatres, petrol bunks and private establishments opening in all areas,” said city Police Commissioner N.S. Megharikh.
Most schools and colleges, however, declared a holiday for either Onam festival or as a precaution. The situation at Mandya and Mysuru in the river basin too was under control amid peaceful protests against the release of water to the lower riparian state Tamil Nadu.
