[Nalin1]

Yes, most of them are sitting inside after they watched the news channels and forwarded messages and not really to follow the diktat!.

When I stepped out to the grocery shop a few times on my bike, I passed by the cops right under their noses many times. They took a cursory look at me and turned away or were busy relaxing and chit chatting.

[sachinpk]

Originally Posted by arindambasu13

Thankfully, this is not yet the case in Bangalore, and I dread the day when these kind of measures will need to be instituted by the Bangalore police.

Originally Posted by Nalin1

When I stepped out to the grocery shop a few times on my bike, I passed by the cops right under their noses many times. They took a cursory look at me and turned away or were busy relaxing and chit chatting.

Bangalore City Police is also now issuing vehicle and individual passes for people to move around the city. And these passes are issued after submitting an application at the Division DCP office (not at local PS).

There is a massive drive going on to seize vehicles which are being used without any valid reasons. From what I came to know superior officers are also monitoring the status very frequently. And this is also happening in neighbouring districts.

Yes, people have been able to commute between two points and later speak about police not being strict enough. But then the story would change if the police become strict enough to seize the vehicles of the very same people . So it is all a bit subjective.

Commissioner of Police, Bengaluru City is to be on Facebook Live at 1930Hrs today, and would be explaining the measures taken.

[Chetan_Rao]

First time since the lockdown started, had the misfortune of needing to take the car out on the weekend. No supplies of 20L Bisleri cans or medicines I needed anywhere within a walking distance.

The furthest I ended up going (from Mysore Road) is upto BSK 1st Stage, so about 5-6 kms, and was stopped thrice.

Given directions to drive a specific route by a plainclothes gentleman at Devegowda Circle (NICE Road Juntion), waved through by another cop car near Avalahalli BDA complex after seeing my prescription, then stopped and threatened with car seizure at PES Degree College Junction while returning, even though I had the prescription, medicines and the bill on me (and they'd waved me through 30 mins earlier in the other direction).

Lesson: How you get treated depends entirely on the cop you have the (mis)fortune of meeting. I had no stomach for argument, so showed them the meds, apologized for causing bother and asked to be let go. Thankfully they did, this time.

[srishiva]

Given that there are lot of reports of people not following the lockdown and lot of blame, Police might be under pressure. They lose it sometimes and they dont want to look at reasons.

Ultimately, its them who will be held responsible for the success or failure of lockdown.

[Chetan_Rao]

Originally Posted by srishiva

...they don't want to look at reasons.

Let me be very clear, and I've said it before elsewhere. I don't blame the boots on the ground. They have a thankless, stressful job and have my full sympathy. Hence why I apologized to be a bother instead of arguing why I had a right to be there. It's the guys giving them orders who need to be clearer.

As to reasons, if literally the same cop thinks I'm OK to be let through with a prescription but not OK to be allowed to return with the medicines I bought with it, I can't argue with that line of reason. What changed in 30 mins? Too many medicine buyers?

Ultimately, its them who will be held responsible for the success or failure of lockdown.

I sincerely hope situations like the one I faced aren't faced by people needing critical medication, because that one person turned away at a checkpoint could end up having someone at home who now needs an ambulance en route to occupying a hospital bed, both of which could be better utilized elsewhere in this pandemic.

Success at checkpoint, failure where it could make a life/death difference for someone. Who wins?

[arindambasu13]

Originally Posted by sachinpk

Bangalore City Police is also now issuing vehicle and individual passes for people to move around the city. And these passes are issued after submitting an application at the Division DCP office (not at local PS).

I am assuming that people stepping out to nearby groceries with their vehicles (car or bike) should be in the clear? I have been going to the grocery/medicine store pretty regularly and taking my car for doing so. Of course, this is pretty close to the house. No cop stoppages, for me or for many other people who are coming with their cars. Touchwood.

[procrj]

Originally Posted by arindambasu13

people stepping out to nearby groceries with their vehicles (car or bike) should be in the clear?

Mostly yes, but i think it also depends on the individual cop. I stepped out yesterday for groceries and did not have a problem at the checkpoint but my neighbor, who also stepped out for groceries, had to spend 30 min talking to the cops before they let him go. As mentioned by Chetan, I dont think the instructions are clear. BTP needs to put out a clear set of instructions for general population as well as the feet on street cops in order to reduce confusion.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by procrj

I stepped out yesterday for groceries and did not have a problem at the checkpoint but my neighbor, who also stepped out for groceries, had to spend 30 min talking to the cops before they let him go.

In the last 10-12 days I went outside our locality just twice in the car, both times to a supermarket and vegetable market about 2km away and returned in about an hour or so, wasn't stopped by any cops. The second time was a slightly longer drive as I had to drop off some groceries for an elderly person who is staying alone. Haven't crossed a 3-4km radius though.
Bottom line, no stepping out unless absolutely necessary. I think the cops are concerned with the number of people who are outside without a valid reason (yes, there are some like this!)

[Chetan_Rao]

Given there seems to be a lack of common instructions on the ground, I've decided I won't go further than my feet will take me for the next couple weeks, unless it's a medical emergency.

I don't envy the cops' thankless and super stressful jobs, I don't have a solution to offer so I'll at least avoid adding to their troubles.

[vsrivatsa]

Originally Posted by Chetan_Rao

Given there seems to be a lack of common instructions on the ground, I've decided I won't go further than my feet will take me for the next couple weeks, unless it's a medical emergency.

I believe they should let people use the car for groceries. Even if the grocery shop is 500 metres and walkable, carrying the items maybe difficult on the way back without a car/vehicle.

In the last week, I used my car for going to a nearby Ashirvad store and Hopcoms both within 1 km radius and did not see any cops around. This is in the Jayanagar 2nd Block - Madhavan Park area.

Later in the evening, I also drove till Shell Petrol Bunk (near the new Madhus outlet) and filled up a tankful of Petrol and returned. Did not see cops anywhere that evening also.

[arindambasu13]

Originally Posted by vsrivatsa

I believe they should let people use the car for groceries. Even if the grocery shop is 500 metres and walkable, carrying the items maybe difficult on the way back without a car/vehicle.

In the last week, I used my car for going to a nearby Ashirvad store and Hopcoms both within 1 km radius and did not see any cops around. This is in the Jayanagar 2nd Block - Madhavan Park area.

Later in the evening, I also drove till Shell Petrol Bunk

This has been my experience exactly. Grocery shopping is regularly done in my car every other day, and though cop patrols have passed by, there have been no issues with either me or others who have brought their cars to grocery shops. Similarly, I have refueled both cars from the petrol bunk nearest to my house - again, no such issues.

It is not possible to carry heavy grocery bags from the shop to the house, especially for older people or ladies. I think usage of cars in these limited situations should not pose any problem.

[procrj]

Originally Posted by Chetan_Rao

I won't go further than my feet

here we go, as usual BTP being their intelligent self. Why cant they simply create a simple set of rules for vehicle usage?

[JithinR]

I am not sure how this works since not all are fortunate enough to have a well stocked grocery store near by (most of them don't seem to be doing home delivery anymore). Also, what about senior citizens who can't walk everywhere. Besides, even I can't get multiple 20L water cans to my home from the nearest grocery store by walk.

[hserus]

Originally Posted by JithinR

I am not sure how this works since not all are fortunate enough to have a well stocked grocery store near by (most of them don't seem to be doing home delivery anymore). Also, what about senior citizens who can't walk everywhere. Besides, even I can't get multiple 20L water cans to my home from the nearest grocery store by walk.

There has been no notification published for this. Typical high handedness.

And the other day in Madurai, a friend and fellow bhpian has an essential services sticker legitimately on his car, and had taken it out to buy provisions the first time in a few days.

The cops were fining bikes 100 and cars 500 on that road.

Constable - "Madam, essential services sticker madam"
Woman SI - "I don't see any sticker, fine him anyway"

Free offer - those that weren't wearing masks got two whacks on their buttocks with a lathi.

[Chetan_Rao]

My apartment RWA gets a daily visit from the area SI, I didn't take the ban bit literally when it was mentioned, thinking it was about vehicles being used without purpose as was the official guidance.

We've been signing an in/out register for a week now, and more than one visit per day outside the complex needs RWA permission (which is still fair enough and they're reasonable with requests), but this isn't going to work.

Except a couple corner stores and one small supermarket (which is either closed or out-of-stock most days), there's no place to get anything nearby without crossing Mysore Road into a bigger locality, and carrying back stuff (imagine 20L water cans) back on foot is going to be a nightmare for most people, age notwithstanding, and it isn't like people on foot aren't being harassed.

It's now the people's fault for living in a locality that doesn't have everything (or enough) next door?