Traffic disruption in CBD expected on Friday over Rahul Gandhi rally

Traffic in the Central Business District of Bengaluru is expected to be thrown out of gear on Friday, as Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi will lead a protest rally against alleged vote theft during the 2024 parliamentary polls, at Freedom Park, and is expected to lead a march to the office of Chief Electoral Officer to submit a memorandum.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, and several Ministers will participate.

Traffic movement on the roads passing through Shantala junction, Khodeys junction, Anand Rao Circle, Sheshadri road, Mysore Bank Circle, Chalukya Circle, Kalidasa Road, and Mourya Junction has been restricted, and the vehicles will be diverted to adjacent roads. Motorists have been advised to avoid these stretches between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Friday and use alternate routes wherever possible.

The rally at Freedom Park will likely have a snowball effect and disrupt traffic beyond CBD as well. Parking of all types of vehicles is prohibited on Old Airport Road, M.G. Road, and Cubbon Road between 10.30 a.m. and 11.30 a.m. and again between 3.30 p.m. and 4.30 p.m.

City Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh said, “Elaborate security arrangements have been made to ensure law and order and security of the VVIPs, keeping in mind that it should not affect the traffic and members of the general public.