Watch: The new roadies

The new roadies: Citizens now prefer traveling via car or bike than taking the flight or train
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Covid-19 has made even travel a contactless affair. Why take the train or plane, when you can be behind the wheel, and in control of your journey?

Every time Ashish Mehta, the owner of an IT firm in Bengaluru, wanted to go to his hometown in Gandevi near Surat in Gujarat, he would just book himself a flight ticket. And then covid happened. Like everything changed after the pandemic, so did Mehta’s travel plans. These days he prefers to take the wheel, driving for 1,200 km, to get home contactless.

Mehta is not the only one ditching flights and trains. Bangalore Mirror spoke to many roadies, who prefer to take control of their travel by getting behind the wheel, however far they want to go. Citizens want to avoid any risk of infection while enjoying a long drive home. And to do that, personal vehicles are the best option. For many, it is the perfect opportunity to bond with their pets, and even forge friendships with strangers.

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Video: No windows, toilets for lake protectors

For six months the marshals have been living like this, too scared to complain for fear that they will lose their jobs.


Arun Shekar, a techie based out of Bengaluru, recently travelled from the city to Raipur in his car. The difficult part for him was driving with his two dogs and a cat. “Though my dogs were used to travelling, it was challenging with the cat as it kept crying. So, we had to take breaks quite often. Even during stops, we would stop at pet-friendly hotels and dhabas only.”

Gangadhar Krishnan travelled in a Nano

Gangadhar Krishnan travelled in a Nano


Gangadhar Krishnan, who runs a travel business, makes his trip home an adventure in itself. “My in-laws stay in Mysuru and we had to travel from Hyderabad. We drove in our Tata Nano car and carried tents so that our kids could sleep with us. We pitched tents close to petrol stations. Our food was mostly packed and we ensured minimal contact with others to make the journey completely safe,” he said.

Earlier, one would prefer to travel via flight or train as travelling by car was considered risky. But, covid seems to have changed the rules quickly. Also, driving is a completely new experience, explained Shiva Kumar, a techie.

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Pinch of marshal law

Some of the hoteliers are having to shell out as much as Rs 10,000 to Rs 20,000 as penalty (which is a massive fine as they have never had to pay such a steep amount). And what is more, the civic body has no plans to review the fine amount.


Bikers too are using the opportunity to hit the road. Prateek Chaturvedi, travelled on his bike for three days from Bengaluru to Lucknow. Along with his friend, he went via Hyderabad, Nagpur, Seoni, Narsinghpur, Sagar, Jhansi, Orai, and Kanpur to reach the Uttar Pradesh capital. Like many others, Chaturvedi also carried his own food and beverages during the trip.



Ashish Sharma and family

Ashish Sharma and family


Krishnan added that one of the reasons why more people prefer to use their vehicles is also that there is lesser traffic on the roads these days. “Though the traffic has increased, it is not like pre-covid times. We could cover one end of Bengaluru to the other end in an hour. There is no rush on the road or at the toll gates and in a way, travelling has been a pleasurable experience.”


In fact, there have been a number of groups active on social media dedicated to long distance journeys. “During these times, there are often different rules for different states for interstate travelling. We share information on rules of travel and quarantine in different states. In fact, many people come forward to help us with food and guidance if we are passing by their territory. It’s not just a chance to travel but also a chance to forge new friendships,” said Bejoy S, a traveler.
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