BENGALURU: More than 1 lakh revellers gathered on MG Road and Brigade Road on New Year’s Eve to ring in the year 2024 amid heavy police bandobast. Thousands continued pouring in even after 10pm, leading to long queues and overcrowding at several venues. Hundreds thronged other major pockets such as Koramangala, Indiranagar, Whitefield, and Kalyan Nagar, which also hosted big celebrations that went on till 1am.Police had deployed around 9,000 personnel for security across the city, with around 3,000 dedicated to MG Road and Brigade Road areas.
Police had set up 18 watch towers, 16 safety islands for women and children, nearly 800 additional CCTV cameras as well as six drones for surveillance and monitoring of crowds. About 50 check-posts were established across Bengaluru to check vehicles and drivers for drunk driving. Traffic movement was restricted on major roads like MG Road, Brigade Road, Church Street, and Museum Road in the heart of the city.
“Happy New Year,” cheered the revellers in chorus as the clock struck 12. Revellers wishing each other with hugs and high-fives were a common sight. Barring stray incidents, the celebrations across the city were largely peaceful. There was a short period of crowd jostling reported at the Brigade Road entrance around 8pm because of a sudden surge of revellers. Additional police forces were called in to bring the situation under control.
Thousands were seen alighting at MG Road Metro station even after 10pm, while there were long queues outside pubs and restaurants. A few families returned, saying that even after advance booking, they couldn’t attend the party because of overcrowding, despite the high cover charges. Like every year during the New Year celebrations, cops had restricted the movement of vehicles on and around MG Road-Brigade Road, Residency Road, Church Street, and St Mark’s Road.
City police commissioner B Dayananda visited Brigade Road and MG Road around 10.30pm and appraised the situation.
Lights, music & food
Akash Sharma, partying in Indiranagar, said: “Indiranagar has a special vibe.” Brigade Road’s numerous pubs, clubs, and restaurants hosted lively events and themed parties, each vying to create the most enticing atmosphere. The air was charged with music ranging from live bands to DJ beats, catering to diverse tastes and ensuring there was something for everyone. By late evening, Brigade Shops and Establishments’ Association was anticipating a footfall way beyond 1 lakh. Police later said the number of people who trooped in was at least 1 lakh.
Many youngsters thronged clubs and pubs in Koramangala, whose streets also witnessed impromptu celebrations. Koushik Subramaniam described the scene: “The crowd is like-minded… The lights, food and place is very homely.”
Kiran Aliveli, a resident of Kalyan Nagar, said: “In the past, we would travel to Brigade Road. Now, we can celebrate right here, the vibe is just the same.”
Police had set up 18 watch towers, 16 safety islands for women and children, nearly 800 additional CCTV cameras as well as six drones for surveillance and monitoring of crowds. About 50 check-posts were established across Bengaluru to check vehicles and drivers for drunk driving. Traffic movement was restricted on major roads like MG Road, Brigade Road, Church Street, and Museum Road in the heart of the city.
“Happy New Year,” cheered the revellers in chorus as the clock struck 12. Revellers wishing each other with hugs and high-fives were a common sight. Barring stray incidents, the celebrations across the city were largely peaceful. There was a short period of crowd jostling reported at the Brigade Road entrance around 8pm because of a sudden surge of revellers. Additional police forces were called in to bring the situation under control.
Thousands were seen alighting at MG Road Metro station even after 10pm, while there were long queues outside pubs and restaurants. A few families returned, saying that even after advance booking, they couldn’t attend the party because of overcrowding, despite the high cover charges. Like every year during the New Year celebrations, cops had restricted the movement of vehicles on and around MG Road-Brigade Road, Residency Road, Church Street, and St Mark’s Road.
City police commissioner B Dayananda visited Brigade Road and MG Road around 10.30pm and appraised the situation.
Lights, music & food
Akash Sharma, partying in Indiranagar, said: “Indiranagar has a special vibe.” Brigade Road’s numerous pubs, clubs, and restaurants hosted lively events and themed parties, each vying to create the most enticing atmosphere. The air was charged with music ranging from live bands to DJ beats, catering to diverse tastes and ensuring there was something for everyone. By late evening, Brigade Shops and Establishments’ Association was anticipating a footfall way beyond 1 lakh. Police later said the number of people who trooped in was at least 1 lakh.
Many youngsters thronged clubs and pubs in Koramangala, whose streets also witnessed impromptu celebrations. Koushik Subramaniam described the scene: “The crowd is like-minded… The lights, food and place is very homely.”
Kiran Aliveli, a resident of Kalyan Nagar, said: “In the past, we would travel to Brigade Road. Now, we can celebrate right here, the vibe is just the same.”