The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : City witnesses holiday exodus

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Dec 21, 2007
ePaper

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

City witnesses holiday exodus

Anil Kumar Sastry

Many pack their bags and leave to enjoy an extended weekend

Traffic jam near Majestic area had
a cascading effect
KSRTC has introduced several special buses

BANGALORE: With Bakrid, Christmas and a weekend sandwiched in between, Bangalore has again slipped into holiday mood and there is exodus again.

December 21 (Friday) and 25 (Tuesday) being government holidays, all that the government employees have to do is apply leave on Saturday and Monday to enjoy that glorious extended weekend. And many have already started their onward journey outside Bangalore.

Like during the Ganesha Chaturthi, Dasara and Deepavali, all roads leading to Majestic area in the city were clogged on Thursday evening. Sharp showers, accompanied by December chill, did not dampen their zeal.

Thursday evening witnessed a gridlock in the area and the jam extended all the way to Minerva Circle, Sujata cinema, Richmond Circle, Basaveshwara Circle and Race Course Road.

But not everybody was complaining. For John D’Souza, working with an MNC, Christmas holiday on Tuesday has come as a blessing so that he can prepare well for the festival.

As his company has five-day working week, he is off on Saturday too and has taken leave on Monday.

For many who do not celebrate Christmas, it is time to visit their near and dear ones located far off from Bangalore.

Rajaram Shetty from Mangalore who works in the Education Department was fortunate enough to get leave on Saturday and Monday. He is planning to visit his parents at Mangalore and is all prepared to board the new Yeshwanthpur-Mangalore Express on Thursday.

A.N. Hegde, an advocate, is visiting his brother-in-law in Vasco-da-Gama in Goa. “I had not visited them ever since our wedding six years ago and I thought it is time to visit them,” Mr. Hegde said.

As the couple will be staying with their relatives, the Hegdes are not bothered about non-availability of hotel accommodation or the exorbitant price tag during the festival season in Goa. Beginning November and ending February, it is peak tourist season in Goa where accommodation is scarcely available at a high tariff.

Buses and trains towards Kerala are packed with a good number of Christians from that State who have settled in Bangalore.

Quite a few of those who were not able to get tickets have decided to drive down. Jacob George from Kannur could not get reserved tickets either in bus or on train and has decided to travel like a gypsy, taking whatever mode of transport, from point to point.

Bus operators, KSRTC and private as well, have deployed extra vehicles from Bangalore and other cities in the State. KSRTC has offered return ticket facility for special buses to enable a hassle-free journey.

The Bangalore Division of South Western Railway is adding extra coaches to trains depending upon the rush besides continuing to operate several holiday special trains, according to Divisional Railway Manager Mahesh Mangal.

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