RCB victory parade: Will Bengaluru traffic police approve IPL 2025 champions’ open-top bus celebration?

Bengaluru police face a major challenge managing RCB’s victory parade from Vidhana Soudha to Chinnaswamy Stadium, expecting over two lakh fans. Narrow roads and heavy traffic may cause congestion. An open-top bus parade is unlikely.

Bengaluru: The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) victory parade from Vidhana Soudha to Chinnaswamy Stadium poses a significant challenge for the Bengaluru Police Department. A celebration of this magnitude has never before been held in the heart of the city. Managing such a large-scale event for the first time is proving to be a real test for the police.

Over two lakh fans are expected to participate in the rally, while Chinnaswamy Stadium has a seating capacity of only thirty thousand. With potentially over two lakh people gathering on the streets and in the stadium, controlling the crowd presents a major challenge.

Heavy traffic congestion is expected in the central part of the city from 5 pm to 9 pm, which could disrupt traffic flow throughout Bengaluru, causing significant problems.

The route from Vidhana Soudha, taking a right turn near GPO towards Chinnaswamy Stadium, features narrow roads and small footpaths, making crowd control difficult. Therefore, the police department has suggested organising the event inside Chinnaswamy Stadium instead of holding a rally.

Open-top bus parade unlikely

Senior police officials have stated that permission for an open-top bus parade for the RCB players is unlikely due to security concerns. The RCB team is expected to meet the Chief Minister at Vidhana Soudha and then travel directly to Chinnaswamy Stadium in a regular bus (not an open-top bus) from the Grand Steps. There, they will participate in an event with fans. A meeting is currently underway between the Chief Minister and police officials to make a final decision. Bengaluru police will release an official statement soon.