As MLAs arrive, Old Airport Road commuters bear the brunt

BENGALURU: As the rebel MLAs were scheduled to land at the HAL airport on Thursday evening, security was beefed up at the airport and all along the way to Vidhana Soudha.

The police bandobust was arranged to ensure that there were no untoward incidents amid the tense political situation in the state.

A senior police officer, who was at the spot, said they started making arrangements as soon as they received the information about the MLAs planning to land at HAL airport.

“We ensured that there were adequate police personnel, as we also received information that there might be protests by various political parties. We cordoned off the entry and exit at the airport. There was also police personnel all through the way to Vidhana Soudha and even the traffic police were alerted to make sure that there was no traffic congestion,” he said.

There was some traffic congestion on the Old Airport Road, but it was cleared in few minutes. “As soon as the MLAs landed and exited the airport, we had stopped the traffic for a couple of minutes and as they left, we allowed the traffic flow,” the officer added.

However the commuters were left fuming as their vehicles were stopped for MLAs convoy to pass through.

Maltesh Kumar, a techie in Bellandur remarked, “Our country will never develop unless  these kind of practices are not stopped. These politicians are always given preference over the common man. This has always been the case on Old Airport Road whenever a politician arrives.”

"The common public is tired of complaining and this goes on forever. The elected representatives should understand the hardships of common man,” he added.