Phoenix Mall of Asia, a top shopping destination in Bengaluru, was temporarily closed by the local police before New Year’s Eve. This was done to address the issues of traffic congestion and insufficient parking facilities.

The Traffic Disaster: Phoenix Mall of Asia

Phoenix Mall of Asia witnessed a huge traffic disaster on Christmas Eve. The Bellari Road (Airport Road) in North Bengaluru was jammed with vehicles, leaving many drivers, including some heading to the airport, stranded for almost two hours. The roads connecting to the Mall of Asia were also packed with vehicles from 2 pm onwards². This unforeseen traffic jam forced the traffic police to issue a warning at 6 pm.

The Parking Problem: Phoenix Mall of Asia

The Joint Commissioner of Police, Traffic Bengaluru, stated that Phoenix Mall of Asia does not have enough parking space for vehicles¹. He said that there is a need to provide parking space for “at least 10,000 cars and 10,000 two wheelers”¹. The insufficient parking facilities have been a major cause of the traffic disaster.

The Temporary Closure

Considering these problems, the Bengaluru Police decided to temporarily close Phoenix Mall of Asia before New Year’s Eve. This was done to avoid a recurrence of the traffic disaster that occurred on Christmas Eve and to ensure the smooth flow of traffic in the city during the New Year festivities.

Conclusion

The temporary closure of Phoenix Mall of Asia highlights the challenges that popular public spaces face during festive seasons. It emphasizes the importance of adequate infrastructure, such as parking facilities, in handling large crowds and ensuring public safety. As Bengaluru welcomes the New Year, it is hoped that lessons will be learned from this incident to prevent similar situations in the future.