Most people in the city avoid unnecessary travel, police set up 250 checkpoints

Bengaluru: On the Day 1 of the two-week lockdown, most citizens avoided non-essential travel and authorities were happy with it. On Wednesday, at more than 250 checkpoints, the cops stopped private vehicles and asked them the reason to venture out.

Senior police officers, including additional deputy and assistant commissioners, were on the roads for most of the time. Police Commissioner Kamal Pant said, “There was a relaxation between 6 am and 10 am when people could buy essential items. People needed time to return home after making the purchase. Later, we started intercepting motorists and two-wheeler riders, most of whom had a valid reason. People are staying indoors. There were only a few incidents of youths roaming around unnecessarily.”

Police personnel also patrolled market areas. A senior officer said, “KR Market, Russel Market, lanes of Gandhi Bazaar, Jayanagar IV Block, VV Puram and vegetable markets in Yeshwantpur, KR Puram, Madiwala, Malleswaram and Hennur saw crowds in the morning. Police vehicles were deployed in these places to prevent untoward incidents.”

Crowd was seen in KSR railway station as people waited for trains throughout the day. A railway official said, “Many families, mostly travelling to Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and remote parts of North Karnataka, reached the station before the lockdown began.”

DCP (north) Dharmender Kumar Meena said that people who ventured out had valid reasons he said, “Some people were going to hospitals. Then there were delivery boys, labourers heading to construction sites, hospital employees and medical store attendants.”

Two youngsters were caught moving around near Trinity circle. They could not explain the reason to step out of their homes and we’re made to do sit-ups.

Many people were confused if the authorities would issue travel passes like last year and so, rushed to the offices of DCPs to enquire about the same. A circular was released stating that there was no pass system which cleared the confusion. The circular stated, “It is to clarify that Bengaluru city police are not issuing any passes for any purpose during the period of lockdown from April 28 to May 12. This permitted under government guidelines may commute by showing their ID cards or documents.”