Union Home Minister Amit Shah is set to visit Bengaluru on Thursday, February 23, ahead of the Karnataka elections. In light of his visit, the Bengaluru Traffic Police have issued traffic restrictions in the Central Business District and surrounding areas. According to reports, Shah will reach Bengaluru on Thursday after visiting Sandur in Ballari, and will hold a meeting with BJP leaders of Karnataka at the Taj West End hotel near Race Course Road.
The traffic police have announced restrictions which will be in place from Thursday till Friday afternoon. In an advisory, the police said that in anticipation of traffic snarls, parking on both sides of the following roads is prohibited:
Ballari Road, Mekhri Circle, Kaveri Theatre junction, Race Course Road, Taj West End, Town Hall, Lalbagh Road, Minerva Road, JC Road, NR Chowk, Mysuru Bank Circle, Palace Road, CID Junction, Basaveshwara Junction, Ali Asker Road, Infantry Road, Coffee Board Junction (BR Road), Manipal Junction, MG Road, Trinity Circle, Command Hospital, Domlur Water Tank, Indiranagar 100 feet Road, ISRO Junction, HAL and Airport Road.
Commuters are requested to avoid these arterial roads and use alternative routes instead, the advisory stated.
After Karnataka, Shah will visit Satna in Madhya Pradesh and Patna in Bihar. Shah's visit to the three politically crucial states from February 23-25 is significant as the southern state is headed for assembly polls, expected in May, while elections are due in Madhya Pradesh later this year. The BJP is in power in both the states.