Amid severe restrictions due to COVID-19 and no special permissions given to the hotels to organise parties, Vizagites welcomed the New Year in homes on a low-key affair, but with a lot of hope. Several apartment associations organised parties with a minimum crowd, while people from many individual and group houses invited families, friends and organised cake cuttings and fun programmes on their terraces.
“Generally. we host our near and dear ones during the New Year eve. Organise some games like ‘anthakshari’ and musical chair. Later we go to Beach Road. But due to COVID-19, this year we celebrated in a low-key manner. But we hope that 2021 will be a good one, unlike the 2020,” said P. Sai Sumanth, a resident of Akkayyapalem area.
Beach Road, usually flocked by thousands of people on New Year eve, wore a deserted look due to police restrictions. A large number of police were deployed along the coastal stretch right from Naval Coastal Battery to (NCB) to Rushikonda and BRTS Roads, to curb racing and overspeeding by youth. Patrolling vehicles were deployed at many areas which conducted surveillance to prevent gathering at public places. In a few areas, police made announcements urging people not to gather in the wake of COVID-19. By 11 p.m., most of the roads were empty, probably for the first time in the city.
On Friday morning, a large number of people flocked to temples. Sai Baba Temple in East Point Colony, Sampath Vinayak Temple in Assilmetta. Since morning, especially college going students thronged restaurants, bakeries and coffee shops to meet their friends. Many eateries made brisk business with special offerings on the first day of the year. In order to meet demand for cakes, several shops arranged exclusive stalls to sell cakes since Thursday evening. There was also a huge demand for flowers at stalls arranged on roadside at Siripuram Junction.
On Friday evening, a large number of people thronged Beach Road.
Severe traffic congestions were reported. Similarly other tourist spots, including Kailasagiri, Indira Gandhi Zoological Park (IGZP), Rushikonda Beach and a few others also received good crowds.
