Independence Day that was
1 lakh people at Lalbagh, the first time in 30 years!
By Smitha Rao/TNN
Bangalore: The Garden City’s floral quotient is on an all time high. The crowd for the flower show at Lalbagh on Monday touched a behemoth one lakh, apparently the first time in 30 years! Thanks to the luxury of a long week-end, Bangaloreans landed at the annual flower show of Lalbagh by the droves (read thousands), despite an inclement weather, taking authorities by surprise. On Sunday, collection at all the entry gates amounted to Rs 5.2 lakh, at the rate of Rs 15 a head, this number doubled on Monday with collection touching Rs 10 lakh. Similarly, people power on both the days stood at 50,000 and then a lakh respectively. Visitors also came from farflung places. Traffic screeched to a stand-still at the Siddapura circle and surprisingly people did not grumble as the cause was not a VVIP cavalcade or any political rally. Explains Dr Maheshwar, joint director, horticulture department: “Some people complained that we were allowing traffic inside the gardens. The vehicles were parked just on green patches, not maintained lawns. We did anticipate huge crowds but this was something else. We then identified parts of the garden that could be used as parking lots.’’ In fact, the queue was so long that finally people were allowed inside without tickets. It was also a flower show of other firsts — all nine fountains were working in full steam, many trees and plants were subjected to tree surgery for the first time, all pots were arraigned in kerb stones. The place’s main attraction, the 200 acres of botanical gardens had 1,800 varieties of roses in the rose garden, 14 acres of the lake had fountain jets attached. Says veteran Lalbagh walker Vishwanthan Raman, “I have attended about eight flower shows, I must admit it was a treat for the eye. At the same time, because of thousands thronging the place, plastics were littered. I hope they are cleared up.’’ The horticulture portfolio included other well-attended nooks like the cacti house, bonzai park, canopies, nurseries and duck ponds.
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This is what you will get it from Times of India news paper.
That evening was so horrible!!!
We were four. Early in the morning we started our outing "Bannerghatta National Park".. It was cheerful morning. We enjoyed lot. Took nearly 200 snaps.. It was real fun..
Afternoon we landed at Jayanagar 4th block. Finished lunch..
My friend said there is big flower show at Lalbagh, all decided to visit there..
Around 3 PM we were in queue at Lalbagh to get tickets.. 4 lane Queue was nearly half a KM long.. entire traffic was blocked.. Again tickets in black were available 15 ka 20. Somehow we managed to get inside the garden, we didnt go for black tickets ;) . As its said in news paper crowd was nearly 1 Lakh.. I guess more than that..
We took nearly 150 snaps inside the Garden.. Crowd was so big.. We didnt dare to get inside glass house.. We stayed out..
Suddenly everything turned black.. Weather turned cloudy.. I was smelling disaster.. I said lets move out of garden.. But it was late.. Rain has already started its way down.. We took shelter under a tree.. Life of ladies became miserable.. Everyone started running.. pushing everyone.. many fell down.. there was no place for 1 lakh people to take shelter.. All gates of Glass house got opened.. We heard a big sound coming from glass house.. I was scared.. it was as if Glass house will burst out!!!!! Thank God we were under tree at that time.. all our clothes, wallet, cam got wet. we were completely drained. We switched off our mobile.. Rain didnt stop.. it turned heavy..
After nearly one and half hour rain drops stopped.. But still weather was like it will rain once again.. Everyone started running.. 1 of my friend got lost.. in that crowd.. and worst part was that he is new to Bangalore.. He was not able to reach us.. Finally after 20 mins of walk 3 of us reached Main gate.. But how to go out of garden.. All cars were blocked at the gate.. So the crowd.. everyone was trying to push there vehicles out.. Disaster.. We thought tomorrow news paper will have headlines " LALBAGH STUMPEDE ". A small gate and lakhs of people to go out..
Thank God.. After struggling lot in crowd for half an hour we came out of gate..Reached Bus stop.. Switched on my mobile and immediately called my friend who was inside and guided him to get out from there..
Finally we reached home.. tired and exhausted.
Truth is bitter, but Bangalore can't sustain this kind of growth in Population.
Horribles:
1) Indiranagar- Koramangala flyover construction still under construction phase. (Cause for major and famous traffic block on Airport Road)
2) Bannerghatta Road.. Itself is a disaster.. Flyover construction still going on
3) Dairy circle - another hell in Bangalore city- Flyover is over but traffic block started at both ends of flyover. Weird traffic signals.. No one to police the traffic.
4) Drainage system in entire city is WORST. If it rains water with all dirt will flow on roads..
5) If its comes to traffic signals, all two wheeler will run on FOOTPATH, making life of Pedestrians miserable. This is major on Airport road.
6) This is not enough Government has decided to make life more miserable, one more Flyover construction project at Anand Rao circle.
7) Rajajinagar underway construction still going on.
8) And now Goverment is waiting to launch Metro Train Project.
9) Most funny thing is after construction of two way lane of flyover Government is making those flyovers as one wayers..
10) Bus ticket cost is going high 1:1.
I mean if fuel rate increases by 2 rupee is equal to 2 rupee increase in per ticket cost.. Making everyone to go for there own vehicles.. inviting traffic disasters in the city. What a hell life of a common person living in the city and travelling from one end of the city to the other to earn for his everyday food.
I am not a prominent person to discuss all these. but still somewhere in my heart I do feel.. this is not the life I ordered!!
Live a life of a common man and feel the pain.
Regards,
Sushant Naik
