Bengaluru

Elaborate arrangements have been made for the swearing-in ceremony at Lok Bhavan here, where Congress leader D K Shivakumar is scheduled to take oath as Karnataka Chief Minister on June 3.

Congress flags and large banners featuring leaders including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Shivakumar, AICC general secretary in-charge of Karnataka Randeep Singh Surjewala, and outgoing Chief Minister Siddaramaiah have been put up around Vidhana Soudha and the Lok Bhavan area.

Shivakumar, who is also the Karnataka Congress president, will be sworn in along with some members of the Council of Ministers at 4.05 pm on Wednesday at the Lok Bhavan premises.

He was officially elected leader of the Congress Legislature Party in Karnataka on May 30.

The stretch from Vidhana Soudha to Lok Bhavan has been lined with Congress flags and banners, while LED screens have been installed at multiple locations to telecast the ceremony.

Tight security arrangements have been made around the venue, with barricades erected on roads leading to Lok Bhavan in anticipation of large gatherings of supporters and party workers.

Bengaluru Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh said meetings had been held with senior officers and protocol authorities regarding the guest list, venue and sequence of events.

“Based on these inputs, comprehensive security arrangements have been made. Since it is an indoor event with limited seating capacity, entry will be restricted to invited guests only,” he told reporters.

Singh said only authorised vehicle and visitor passes would be permitted and that special arrangements had been made for VIPs and dignitaries arriving from outside the State.

“At the same time, we anticipate gatherings outside the venue, where LED screens have been installed for people to view the proceedings,” he said.

The commissioner said necessary measures had been taken to ensure that the public would not face inconvenience in the area.

He added that traffic plans had been prepared and advisories regarding vehicle movement around the venue had been issued.

According to Singh, the operation is being overseen by the Law and Order Wing, Traffic Wing and VVIP Security Wing, with personnel from across Bengaluru City Police deployed for security duties.

Passes for the event are being coordinated and issued by the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (DPAR), he said.

“Based on the inputs provided to police, security arrangements have been made for vehicle entry through designated gates. Seating arrangements are also being managed,” Singh said.

He added that the police command centre would remain fully operational and that CCTV cameras around the venue would be monitored by senior officers.

“Traffic movement will be monitored through the Traffic Management Centre, while surveillance systems, including AI-enabled cameras, will be used to help ensure security and prevent any untoward incidents,” Singh added.

In view of the expected public gatherings and heavy traffic around Lok Bhavan, a half-day holiday has been declared on June 3 for employees working at Vidhana Soudha, Vikasa Soudha and the multi-storied government office building.

Anticipating heavy congestion in the Central Business District (CBD) area and around Race Course Road, the Bengaluru Traffic Police has announced special traffic arrangements from noon to 8 pm that day.

Movement of all vehicles, except those officially authorised for the event, will be prohibited on stretches including Cubbon Road, Dr B R Ambedkar Road from KR Circle, Race Course Road, and roads leading to Lok Bhavan from Queens Junction and St Mark’s Road.

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Motorists have been advised to use alternative routes via Shivajinagar, Cunningham Road and Anil Kumble Junction to avoid delays.

The traffic police urged commuters to plan their travel in advance and cooperate with officials to ensure smooth movement during the ceremony.