Bommai’s call to opt out of zero traffic leaves police anxious

Those responsible for CM’s security are worried about the risks involved

Breaking from tradition, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has directed police not to block traffic and give him ‘zero traffic’ movement in the city. While many citizens have welcomed this, those responsible for his security are anxious about the risks it exposes the Chief Minister to. “There are misconceptions about the practice of zero traffic in public partly that it smacks of ‘VIP culture’. This prompts politicians to reject it. But essentially, we block traffic to ensure the person must keep moving and not be still for any potential threats,” explained a senior officer, with long experience in providing security to Chief Ministers. A senior officer explained that the Chief Minister may not have specific threats from any particular group, but given his position, he always faces threats from unknown sources who may harbour real or perceived grievances, a senior official said.