Bengaluru, Jan 1 (IANS): Frenzy gripped India's tech hub as thousands of revellers ushered in the New Year on early Wednesday by greeting each other, dancing to loud music and partying through the night, with the police watching them celebrate the event safely and peacefully.
As on every New Year eve, hundreds of revellers, flocked to the city's central business district and gathered in downtown, choking its famous M.G. Road and Brigade Road hours before the clock struck midnight and the New Year dawned.
Bidding goodbye to a tumultuous 2019 and welcoming 2020 in style, many were seen bursting crackers, cheering, hooting, waving and hugging others in excitement.
With about 7,000 police personnel on heightened vigil across the city to ensure safe and peaceful celebration of the New Year eve, hundreds of CCTV cameras monitored the revellers in public places and hovering drones kept an eye on their movements.
Bengaluru Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao led a team of police officers and constables through the crowded downtown before midnight to assure the revellers safety for enjoying the event in a spirit of friendship and camaraderie.
"We are glad that the revellers behaved well and celebrated the occasion happily without causing nuisance despite jostling, pushing and crowding," Rao told reporters.
Hundreds of revellers thronged star hotels, restaurants, bars, pubs and eateries in downtown, upscale commercial markets like Indiranagar and Koramangala and posh residential colonies to welcome the New Year and party well past midnight.
Security was stepped up across the city since evening for a safe New Year bash.
The police also banned driving or riding on flyovers and elevated roads from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. on Wednesday to avoid drunken driving and mishaps.
AThe police also banned from 4 p.m. on Tuesday to 8 a.m. on Wednesday all vehicles, including buses, cars and two-wheelers from driving atop to Nandi Hills near Devanahalli airport on the city's northern outskirts and Chamundi Hills near Mysuru to prevent mishaps in the ghat section and avoid drunken driving by rogue revellers.
Traffic was regulated and parking of vehicles, including two-wheelers was banned on the main streets in the city centre from 8 p.m. on December 31 to 6 a.m. on January 1 to prevent jams and ensure better vehicular movement.
Restaurants, eateries, pubs and bars were allowed to remain open an extra hour till 2 a.m. on Wednesday for the New Year celebrations across the city.