Bengaluru in doldrums, politicos bask in glory

Bengaluru: Bengaluru city choked for the entire day on Thursday, the traffic went haywire and total lawlessness prevailed in many parts of the city. Motorists had angry exchanges with Congress en route 10-kilometre final leg of the Congress party organised Padayatra 'our water our right' in support of Mekedaatu water project on Karnataka Tamil Nadu border.

The six- day padayatra that started in Ramangaram in its second phase reached the city on Tuesday and after completing the first city leg on Wednesday, it resumed from Mekhri circle on Thursday at 9 am in the morning which is in fact the first hour of the peak hour of the city.

Mekhri circle which is a major traffic intersection in the city was totally blocked as a result many downstream areas also got blocked. Many office-goers on their own vehicles had to take a long detour to reach their destinations from all parts of the city at different times of the day till the Padayatra reached the National college campus for the valedictory function.

Throughout the route, the Congress workers and police had a harrowing time receiving brickbats from the motorists for blocking the road and impeding their commutation. Many motorists who were going to the offices, to schools to drop their children were held back by the police. In some places, the motorists broke the cordon and engaged the police and the Congress workers giving them a mouthful.

Congress party in Karnataka was in an upbeat mood after during the resumption of the Mekedaatu padayatra - 'Our water our right'. The top bosses of the Congress party had given a green signal for resumption of the event. It was the Delhi Congress politicos who were partly responsible for the suspension of the first edition of the Padayatra on 12 January citing the increasing number of Covid infection cases in the state.

The first edition of padayatra had stopped in Ramanagaram after beginning from Kanakapura on its 130 kilometres walk after covering 70 kilometres. The Padayatra start in its second phase began on February 27 .

The padayatra had been organised for the right of water security of Bengaluru city. "It is a project which will benefit Bengaluru and adjoining areas when completed, if not it will also affect Bengaluru city the worse as more than 25 per cent of the people living in and around Bengaluru city do not have access to the Cauvery water" According to KPCC chief DK Shivakumar who addressed a mammoth rally at the National College grounds on Thursday .

What is the Mekedatu project?

He said the project will augment 67 TMC water for distribution to 20 towns around Bengaluru and also 10 per cent of it will be distributed inside the BBMP area in addition to the already functional 6 stages of the Cauvery river water project. The Mekedatu project also has provision for a 400 MW hydropower project. The proceeds of the power project will be wheeled into the local grid which services the industrial areas in Bengaluru. "Bengaluru will be water surplus and power surplus," he said. He urged the Chief Minister of Karnataka to commission the work for this project.

Many other leaders who spoke on the occasion included former chief ministers S Siddaramiah, M Veerappa Moily, former deputy chief minister Dr Parameshwara, Congress leader Ramalinga Reddy and others.