After adverse reactions on social media over traffic restrictions in Bengaluru on account of plans for a 36-km roadshow through the city on Sunday by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the BJP announced that it would hold it over two days. Now, Modi will cover the constituencies of Bengaluru Central on Saturday, between 10 am and 1 pm, and Bengaluru South on Sunday, from 10:30 pm to 2:30 pm. Shobha Karandlaje, the convenor of the BJP’s State Election Management Committee, said they had taken the decision to split the roadshow after reports of “inconvenience to public” if Modi planned to cover the whole 36 km in one day. Speaking to reporters here Thursday, Karandlaje said: “People said it will be a problem if the roadshow is held for the entire day. We respected their feelings.” Some BJP leaders, however, said that the decision was taken to avoid the roadshow in the evening hours, due to rainfall prediction. PM Shri @narendramodi is coming to Bengaluru on 6 and 7 May, to partake in the ongoing festival of democracy in Karnataka. Let us welcome Shri Modi Ji in huge numbers with enthusiasm, further inspiring his unwavering commitment to serve the nation.#NammaBengaluruNammaModi… pic.twitter.com/1apE9hC1O0 — BJP Karnataka (@BJP4Karnataka) May 4, 2023 During Modi's last roadshow on April 29, bus services had been suspended for the day in the Bengaluru North Lok Sabha constituency he covered, leaving many commuters inconvenienced. People put up posts about having to walk nearly 6 km to catch a vehicle. After the restrictions were lifted, the Sumanahalli junction reported a massive traffic jam, as BJP supporters and others hit the road. An official said, “It took over three hours to clear the traffic after the roadshow finished around 7:30 pm.” While the PM's roadshow will now spend lesser hours on the road both on Saturday and Sunday, authorities are bracing up to ensure there are no problems for students appearing for the NEET examination scheduled on Sunday between 2 pm and 5.30 pm. Several examination centres are located in the parts of Bengaluru South from where the roadshow will be passing. A Traffic Department official said they were not expecting any major logjams. “If so, we will make alternative arrangements. However, the main roads will not be impacted as a result of the roadshow.” Modi is expected to cover 19 of the 28 Assembly constituencies falling within Bengaluru over the two roadshows.
