Bengaluru Remains Largely Unaffected by Karnataka Bandh Over Cauvery Dispute

Life in Bengaluru continued as normal on Thursday despite a statewide bandh called over the Cauvery water-sharing dispute, with normal operations reported across major transport hubs and key city landmarks including Town Hall.

Police personnel were deployed at Town Hall as part of preparatory security measures for the Karnataka bandh. Despite the shutdown call, city life remained largely undisturbed, with commercial activity and general movement continuing without major hindrance.

Kempegowda International Airport functioned smoothly throughout the day. Passenger movement proceeded without disruption, and flight schedules remained unaffected. Ground transportation to and from the airport continued uninterrupted, with Ola, Uber, private airport taxis, and KSTDC cabs operating regular services under tight precautionary security.

The statewide bandh was called by Kannada organisations in response to a directive from the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee ordering Karnataka to release 12,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu over a 15-day period. Protesting organisations opposed the release, citing Karnataka's pressing requirements for local drinking water and agricultural needs.

While protests and road blockades took place in other parts of Karnataka, Bengaluru experienced minimal disruption throughout the day.