The Amdavadis have decided to get on with their lives after two months of violence and nothing can stop them from doing just that. Not even the bus explosions that stunned them momentarily, but then, fear took a back seat and life went on. In under an hour, people were back on the roads — and even the bus stands — and shop owners who had downed shutters were doing business again. In Gurukul, where a bomb ripped the rear end of a bus, the road was chock-a-block with office-goers. When the explosion occurred, traffic came to a halt and people ran for cover. But as soon as the thick smoke cleared and the injured were taken away, traffic ran smooth. ‘‘I had heard about the explosions but when I passed by an hour later, the area was perfectly normal. In fact, I was a bit surprised,’’ LIC agent D.R. Brahmbhatt said. As news of the simultaneous blasts spread, commuters gave AMTS buses a miss, preferring autorickshaws. Buses even on busy routes plied empty but not for long. ‘‘On hearing about the blasts, I thought the city would be tense. But I was surprised to find everything open and people going about normally. In fact, most people I met just made a passing reference to the blasts and got down to business,’’ electric parts dealer Kantibhai Patel said. Even at Vasna, initial panic turned to curiosity. The bus stand was packed with commuters who did not want to take the AMTS buses. But when a couple of buses came in with a few passengers, there was a rush to get in. The immediate police action of checking vehicles and suspicious objects also helped.
