Bengaluru South MP shifts part of KR Market to National College Grounds, Basavanagudi for better social distancing

Bengaluru: Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya on Friday ensured shifting of a part of the operations of the KR Market to National College Grounds in Basavanagudi for better implementation of social distancing in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak. He inspected the KR Market on Friday morning along with Chickpet MLA Uday Garudachar and senior police officials and found the social distancing measures were inadequate. Similarly, he also pushed for the Sarakki Market in JP Nagar to operate out of the Jaraganahalli Grounds. Saturday onwards, both the markets, which are the epicenters of the city’s vegetables and fruits supply, will operate from the National College and Jarganahalli Grounds respectively. “The PM has issued a nation-wide call for people to stay indoors and maintain social distancing during the 21-day lockdown period to prevent the community transmission of the Coronavirus,” Surya said. “However, what we saw on Friday was a crowd of people flocking and assembling at the KR Market. We witnessed a lot of crowding with people coming from many farther away parts of the city as well, from areas such as Vijayanagar, Mysore Road, Chandra Layout. Such overcrowding is a serious threat to public health and welfare of all the citizens of not just Bangalore but also the country.” MP Surya has expressed serious concern over the state of affairs at KR Market and has put his proposal immediately after the inspection and directed the shifting to be done in 24 hours. The BBMP authorities will facilitate this shifting process and ensure it happens by Saturday.