General public faced in convenience due to the visit of President Pranab Mukherjee on Monday.
The traffic on the roads of the city became affected when due to heavy downpour the helicopters slated to transport President from GTC helipad to Dehradun airport could not take off. In view of security threat to the President, the authorities had imposed 'Zero Traffic zone’ on the entire route which the President took from Presidential estate Ashiana to the airport, but it proved painful for those who happened to be on the city roads during that period. This correspondent witnessed several instances of the forced harassment imposed by the authorities in connection with the VVIP visit. The authorities had imposed traffic restriction much before the motorcade of President was scheduled to pass. It resulted in long wait for the people at many barricades. As the timing coincided with leaving time of schools large number of students and their parents could be seen stranded on different areas.
The authorities had plugged all the arterial routes which connected the roads like Rajpur road, EC road and Haridwar road on which the convoy of the President passed. The traffic to the busy Rishikesh -Haridwar road was also affected as many vehicles had to take a long detour. At some places many people were seen arguing with the policemen to let them go while at other places they simply waited for authorities to open the road. Surendra Rawat, a resident of MDDA Colony, Dalanwala said that the VVIP culture in our country has taken a heavy toll on development of our country and it is high time to put an end to this practice.
The President arrived at Dehradun airport Jolly grant in a special plane of Indian Air Force (IAF) at 11.40 am. From here he was flown to GTC helipad (Dehradun cant) in three MI 17 helicopters. The motorcade of 34 vehicles carried the President to the President estate Ashiana located on Rajpur road. He inaugurated a new building (annexe) here. The weather deteriorated in the afternoon which forced the authorities to cancel the scheduled use of helicopter to ferry President to the airport causing problem to the people on road.