BJP workers gather to welcome leader at DND, slow down traffic

Noida Traffic was affected at the Delhi-Noida Direct (DND) Flyway on Tuesday morning where Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers gathered to welcome new Uttar Pradesh BJP president (youth wing), Pranshu Dutt Dwivedi

Noida Traffic was affected at the Delhi-Noida Direct (DND) Flyway on Tuesday morning where Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers gathered to welcome new Uttar Pradesh BJP president (youth wing), Pranshu Dutt Dwivedi.

HT Image

Commuters took to social media to highlight the slow traffic in the area and on the Noida-Greater Noida Expressway.

However, according to the traffic police, “traffic was affected only for a few minutes”.

“There was no traffic jam, but it had slowed down for 15-20 minutes around 11am. There were no major snarls in the city today,” said Ganesh Saha, deputy commissioner of police (traffic).

Dwivedi, who was appointed on Saturday, was scheduled to travel across western Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday. He was travelling from Uttar Pradesh Bhawan in Delhi to Bulandshahr, and then to Ghaziabad, according to a party spokesperson. However, in anticipation of his visit, more than 500 BJP workers and volunteers gathered near the DND border.

According to BJP Noida spokesperson Tanmay Shankar, the “party workers had taken prior permission for the gathering”.

“We had taken required permissions from the police and the administration. The party workers were excited and turned up in a large number to welcome Dwivedi ji. He travelled to DND, Mahamaya and Dadri in the day, and went to Bulandshahr and Ghaziabad in the evening... We too tried to clear the traffic congestion caused due to this,” Shankar said.

The party workers, who stopped at every major point the leader travelled through, also violated Covid-19 protocols. They did not maintain social distancing, and many were even without masks. However, the Noida police has not taken any action against them as of now.

“The group was granted a permission for a gathering of 50 members. We have noticed certain violations through photographs and videos. We will look into the matter and take action if we receive a complaint,” said Kumar Ranvijay Singh, additional deputy commissioner of police (zone 1).