Ineffective bandobast: Traffic crawls in Ganj vicinity, chokes central Lucknow

Hazratganj faced severe traffic jams for hours due to a Congress protest, stranding commuters as police diversions failed to manage the overflow.

The city administration was caught napping as fender-to-fender traffic choked Hazratganj and surrounding areas on Tuesday afternoon, leaving commuters stranded for hours.

Traffic jam on Park Road in Lucknow on Tuesday . (HT Photo)

Police diversions failed to ease the pressure as traffic spilled over to alternative routes. At the heart of the issue was a protest by the Indian National Congress. Heavy crowding and a large number of vehicles around the Congress headquarters led to roads being choked, particularly the stretch from Lal Batti crossing towards VVIP Guest House and Jan Bhavan.

Severe jams were reported near Hazratganj and the Novelty Cinema area, while congestion was also witnessed at the crossing leading to the chief minister’s residence. Traffic movement towards Swasthya Bhavan and Parivartan Chowk was similarly affected.

The road connecting Civil Hospital to the CM residence saw vehicles crawling for a prolonged period. Attendants accompanying patients to Civil Hospital faced significant inconvenience due to the jam.

Officials said diversions had been put in place, but the sudden surge in vehicles overwhelmed the traffic management system.