Bengaluru, DHNS: Hundreds from Kolar, CB Pur storm City demanding water project. Motorists had a harrowing time as traffic was thrown out of gear for many hours in several parts of the City on Thursday after hundreds of farmers from Kolar and Chikkaballapur districts stormed the City seeking a permanent irrigation project for the two parched districts.

As farmers headed for the City in hundreds in lorries and tractors, the police tried to stop them near Devanahalli and Krishnarajapuram. But protesters, who had planned to lay a siege to the Vidhana Soudha, jumped the barricades and squatted on the roads, bringing traffic to a near halt at both the locations. Vehicular movement was hit again in the evening as framers headed back to their villages.

The worst hit was Ballari Road, connecting Kempegowda International Airport with vehicles bound for the airport and ambulances stuck in the huge pile up. Hundreds of road users were stranded for hours on the Hebbal flyover, Nandidurg Road, Sankey Tank Road, Mehkri Circle, Race Course Road, Kumarakrupa Road, Shivananda Circle, Sankey Road, Palace Road, Sheshadri Road, Nrupathunga Road, Basaveshwara Circle, Sheshadripuram Link Road, Old Madras Road and surrounding areas.

Devi Prasad, an employee of a jewellery showroom near KR?Market, said, “Around 12 noon, I had been to a bank near Richmond Road. While returning, the entire area around Hudson Circle was blocked and not one vehicle moved an inch. It took me exactly two-and-a-half hours to reach my showroom. Most of the people were not aware of the protest. Had we known about this in advance, we could have made alternative plans.”

Thakur Sahab, a cab driver, who was stuck on Ballari Road, said, “It took over two hours for vehicles to move on Ballari Road and I lost my customer who was waiting at the airport. Police should make prior arrangements at such times. When they make elaborate arrangements for ministers, why can’t they do it now?”

Around 11 am, farmers coming from the Kolar side were stopped at Medahalli near Krishnarajapuram and those from Chikkaballapur at Rani Cross near Devanahallai. They argued with police, stopped their vehicles on the road and staged a dharna by squatting on the highway. The police asked the farmers at Medahalli to take a deviation and move towards Devanahalli.

Towards noon, the farmers who were stopped from going towards Vidhana Soudha, decided to picket Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s official house. They abandoned their vehicles near Windsor Manor Bridge, Mehkri Circle and Cauvery Junction and started marching towards Siddaramaiah’s official residence. The police tried to stop them near Windsor Manor bridge but the farmers tried to jump over the barricades, forcing the police to resort to a mild lathi charge.

Photo credit: DHNS