BS Yeddyurappa CM's swearing-in chokes city traffic

Bengaluru: Roads heading towards Raj Bhavan witnessed heavy traffic on Thursday morning due to the swearing-in ceremony of B.S. Yeddyurappa as Chief Minister and continuing impasse after the Karnataka election.

According to the traffic police, the road that leads to Raj Bhavan was blocked between 9 and 9:30 am on Thursday due to the swearing-in. Motorists were diverted towards Chandrika Hotel on Cunningham Road and Chalukya Hotel on Race Course Road. Areas in and around the Raj Bhavan had also been affected greatly.

The Congress party meeting at the KPCC office on Queens Road around the same time also led to traffic jams on Queens’ Road, Cubbon Road as well as Cunningham Road. The police had to divert the traffic to ease the congestion.

The traffic police, however, claimed that vehicular movement was restored by 10 am. For the past few days it has been a nightmare for motorists entering the city’s central business district. Raj Bhavan has become a hub of political activity and is being frequented by leaders of various political parties.

They all come in a cavalcade of vehicles, with a group of supporters and media persons in tow. All this leads to choking of traffic on Raj Bhavan Road and it also spills over to adjoining roads and lanes, as many tend to use them to beat the traffic.

For many commuters their day-to-day activities have gone haywire, with traffic gridlock during peak hours.