Heavy footfall at the Bhopal Talkies Sunday Bazaar and Ijtema Market at the Taj-ul-Masajid complex led to significant traffic snarls in various old city areas on Sunday.

Weekend shoppers thronged the two markets in search of bargains, leading to significant traffic stress on Berasia Road and Sultania Road. Motorists caused traffic chaos in Shahjehanabad, Sindhi Colony, and Kazi Camp as they tried to take alternative routes to avoid the messy traffic situation.

The traffic situation on Berasia Road was exacerbated by the reinstallation of construction sheets, which had been removed to facilitate the free flow of traffic during the Ijtema congregation.

Though the market at Taj-ul-Masajid is an annual affair, the second-hand market at Bhopal Talkies is a weekly nuisance that residents say has grown considerably since it first started with a few vendors selling shoes by the roadside.

Now, the market attracts people from all walks of life, as vendors have expanded their offerings to include used electronics and computer hardware spares, in addition to the winter staples they sold earlier.

Residents blame the civic body and the traffic police for allowing the market to flourish despite the traffic nuisance it causes every week.

The situation on Sultania Road was no different, as a large number of shoppers arrived at the Ijtema Market in search of winter bargains.

Vehicular traffic remained in disarray for several hours in the area, which houses a large number of medical facilities, including the mainstay Hamidia Hospital.

Residents said the traffic situation was worsened by the partial closure of parts of the GPO-Taj Mahal Road, which has remained dug up for months due to the inexplicable abandonment of repair work on the crucial street.