Arterial roads wore a deserted look, with traffic policemen too busy following the progress of the match on their mobile phones at traffic signals.
The India-Pakistan cricket World Cup semifinal on Wednesday put the brakes on the city, with Puneites preferring to stay home to watch the match. Arterial roads wore a deserted look, with traffic policemen too busy following the progress of the match on their mobile phones at traffic signals.
The fact that cricket means serious business for Puneites could be gauged from the fact that Juna Bazaar (the bi-weekly flea market) changed its timing to ensure both the customers and shopkeepers could catch up with match. Zendubai, a cobbler said, “A majority of us came at 7 am and winded up by 1 pm. Thanks to the match, the customer flow was very less.”
Attendance in government offices was also hit, with many employees preferring to avail leave to watch the match. In the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), almost 30% of the employees had availed a half day leave. The corridors wore a deserted look, with few visitors.
Those who were not able to take leave had to resort to technology to follow the match. At Kamla Nehru Hospital, a doctor’s hi-end mobile phone was used to follow the match live. “We had applied for leave, but it was not granted. But we made up for it by following the scores over the Internet,” said an attendant at the hospital.
The sole television set in the office of the district election officer was the centre of attention for the employees at the district collector’s office. Apurva Wankhede confirmed that 15% of the employees in her office were on leave.
A majority of offices in the new and old central building were deserted with the employees using the break to keep track of the match. The Citizen Facilitation Centre (CFC) at the collector’s office, otherwise packed with students, was empty.
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