The two-hour restriction on bursting of crackers imposed by the Supreme Court appeared to have little impact on citizens as the festive frenzy took over the environmental concerns on the Deepavali night.
People from across the city gathered at the Beach Road and bursting of crackers started right from evening and went on until the mid-night, notwithstanding the allotted time slot of 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Same was the situation in almost the entire city.
Though the authorities had allotted designated places for the sale of crackers, make-shift vends did brisk business as there was a huge demand for crackers and citizens did the last-minute purchase. People in several apartments and residential colonies started the celebration as early as 5.30 p.m. Unlike the previous years, the Beach Road stretch from Park Hotel Junction to Coastal Battery, wore a festive look with Vizagites bursting crackers nearby the shore.
Especially, children and youngsters in large numbers from the surrounding areas thronged Beach Road with their bags of crackers to celebrate the ‘Festival of Light’.
Selfie time
Youth from I-Town and many other parts burst rockets, 1000 walas continuously until the late night nearby the shore. After 9 p.m., many families thronged the Beach Road to watch the bursting of crackers and captured photographs and selfies on their cellphones.
“It was awesome to see such a huge crowd celebrating Deepavali nearby the shore. The scenic view reminds me of Marine Drive in Mumbai,” said Preethi Patil, a resident of Beach road, who recently shifted to the city.
Meanwhile, thick smoke engulfed the city, making it tough for the motorists to drive on the roads. Many areas were under thick sheets of smoke until Thursday morning.