Rush for rehearsal leads to major traffic snarls

Ambulances were stuck in traffic, while some complained of missed flights

The full and final dress rehearsal of Aero India 2023 on Saturday turned out to be a nightmare for motorists travelling on Bellary Road. Many ambulances were seen struck in the traffic, while some passengers complained of missing their flights due to traffic snarls.

Massive traffic snarls on the busy road which connects the city and Air Force Station in Yelahanka, the venue of the airshow and also Kempegowda International Airport (KIA), were seen on Saturday. Traffic began piling up on the road as early as 7 a.m. and commuters who were heading to the Air Force Station and KIA had to endure bumper-to-bumper traffic.

The traffic snarls on Saturday has raised concerns over the traffic situation on the busy road through next week when Aero India will be held from Monday to Friday. The last two days when public will be allowed to visit the event, will be as bad as Saturday, it is feared.

A free entry for the rehearsal on Saturday led to unexpected crowd with 12,000 vehicles on the busy Airport Road, resulting in the pile up, said the police. While there were heavy vehicles carrying defense personnel and their family members parked on the road due to overflow at the designated parking lot, random parking on the highway by people to catch a glimpse of the rehearsals made matters worse.

“What would have been a 10-minute drive from Cauvery Theatre junction to Air Force Station Yelahanka turned out to be a two-hour drive. This happened not even during the peak hour traffic but as early as 7 a.m.,” said a visitor to the dress rehearsal.

The flyovers and service road were all choked with vehicles which did not move an inch for several minutes. Many commuters blamed the traffic police for poor traffic management as there was minimal presence of police personnel on the route.

Once the rehearsals got over by 11.55 a.m., the visitors exited the Air Force Station in Yelahanka. However, several traffic diversions were enforced causing further inconvenience to the commuters. On a few stretches connected the Bellary Road and Gate No. 8 & 8A of Air Force Station, Yelahanka asphalting works were being carried out on Saturday.