Messi and team forced to fly as roads at home get choked with excited soccer fans
Buenos Aires: With the soccer fans being over-excited about Argentina’s victory in the World Cup, the team’s celebration was disrupted, forcing Lionel Messi and the others to go by helicopter instead of an open-top bus on Tuesday.
When the team bus arrived in the city at 3 am on Tuesday, the fans thronged the vehicle at the airport. Also, as at least 4 million people gathered on the streets, the city trip planned for midday was interrupted.
A video shared on social media shows a fan falling from a bridge on to the bus carrying the soccer team. Another fan is seen falling on the crowd, missing the bus.
Chiqui Tapia, head of the Football Association, apologized to the supporters, saying that they were unable to continue by bus.
Enzo Fernandez, who is a midfielder in the Argentinian team, posted a picture of himself in the helicopter.
A presidential spokesperson confirmed that the soccer players had taken the air route since the fans’ delight and excitement at the team’s victory had jammed the roads. The local television channels broadcast scenes of the people clogging the highway bridges, climbing atop light posts and vehicles, expressing their joy.
In addition, Alberto Fernandez, President of Argentina, declared a national holiday for celebrations over the World Cup victory.
With Argentina having a population of 46 million, the celebration is providing a relief for a nation struggling against economic problems including inflation, weakening currency and tight capital controls. The poor planning of celebration and security failure to protect the soccer team’s bus are likely to be severely criticized.
The players, however, have been reluctant to meet the government authorities, to avoid mixing of politics and sports. A visit to the presidential palace was ruled out by the football federation on Tuesday. In addition, when the team landed at the international airport, Messi did not greet Interior Minister Eduardo de Pedro, who was waiting for the team on the tarmac.
Lionel #Messi and team were evacuated in helicopters after fans jumped from bridges to get on the bus during the #FifaWorldCup winners' parade in Buenos Aires#Argentinafans #FIFAWorldCupFinal https://t.co/s54PeOSdmb pic.twitter.com/IgjU5z47Q8
— News18 (@CNNnews18) December 21, 2022
Estiman que el 10% de la población argentina (casi cinco millones) están ahora mismo recibiendo al plantel campeón del mundo en las calles de Buenos Aires. pic.twitter.com/lvpETOS1Gg
— Pablo Giralt (@giraltpablo) December 20, 2022
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BMTC collects over Rs 19 lakh as fine from those travelling without tickets, occupying ladies seat
Bengaluru (PTI): The Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) has collected over Rs 19 lakh as a penalty from 10,069 passengers who were penalised for travelling without tickets and occupying seats exclusively reserved for ladies in the last three months, officials said on Thursday.
The checking staff of BMTC have intensified checking of buses operated in and around Bengaluru City to detect ticketless travelling by passengers, they said.
According to BMTC, during the months of August, September and October, the checking staff checked 57,219 trips and penalised 8,891 ticketless passengers by collecting Rs 17,96,030 as penalty and 5,268 cases were booked against conductors for their dereliction of duty.
During the same period, they have also penalised 1,178 male passengers for occupying seats exclusively reserved for lady passengers and imposed fines by collecting Rs 1,17,800 in accordance with the KMV (Karnataka Motor Vehicle) Rules of the MV Act of 1988.
"In total, during the months of August, September and October, 10,069 passengers were penalised and Rs 19,13,830 was collected," the BTMC officials stated.
