Rallies bring in Monday traffic blues for capital

The traffic system in the State capital was thrown out of gear following protest rallies staged by political parties like the Samajwadi Party and the Bharatiya Janata Party, and also by various organisations Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), Navbharat Sangh, Akhil Bharatiya Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti and others in support of their demands on Monday.

Traffic congestion was huge especially after school hours were over around noon. Vehicles moved at a snail’s pace and the public transports took over an hour more to reach their destinations.Vehicles were found stuck up at Survey Chowk, Dilaram Chowk, Doon Hospital, Darshan lal Chowk, Haridwar Road, Prince Chowk, Bindal, Clock Tower, Rispana, Balliwala, Ballupur, Saharanpur Chowk, Prince Chowk, Patelnagar Chowk, ISBT and other places.

At another remove, a large number of devotees thronged the temples since morning to offer prayer on Monday. Temples at Tapkeshwar and other Shiv temples were full of devotes.  Besides, admission process going on in various degree colleges compounded things further.long queue of vehicles were seen stuck up at various crossings in the city, especially around noon when students came out from their schools. The parents had to struggle hard to reach the schools on time with vehicles inching along through the stalled traffic.

Sahastradhara resident Suman Semwal said, “I use to go to school to pick my children during lunch hour from my office located on Rajpur Road. And on the way ordeal has become a thing I negotiate daily.Sometime, I have to skip lunch to reach office after dropping my children at home.” Rallies taken by various organisations are compounding their road woes, he added.   

The protesters assembled at some points before they took out their respective rallies. Police looked more engaged in keeping   order rather than unclog the traffic snarl.Policemen acted as disinterested spectators, the annoyed people said. “The traffic police seemed to have been caught unaware with the snarl causing traffic to crawl,” one of them said.

Rohan Bisht, resident of Kewal Vihar, said that despite senior police officers taking some measures to improve traffic system. Things on the ground have remained the same. “The traffic police department does not look to be serious enough. Taking steps here and there sporadically would not solve the problem. They would have to firm up a comprehensive plan, keeping in view the increasing volume of vehicles in the city,” he added.