Traffic helpline rings off the hook with complaints about kanwariyas

Delhi traffic police helpline records show that on Wednesday alone, 12 complaints related to kanwariyas had been received. They have been flooded with complaints about snarls caused by illegally parked buses and trucks carrying kanwariyas and saffron-clad men creating ruckus on the roads.

The movement of kanwariyas through Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) towns is, without doubt, a harrowing time for road users and this year is no different. Delhi Traffic Police helpline records show that on Wednesday alone, 12 complaints related to kanwariyas had been received.

Sources from the traffic police said the situation was particularly bad on Wednesday night, when jams were reported from across Delhi-NCR. (PTI/Photo for representation)

They have been flooded with complaints about snarls caused by illegally parked buses and trucks carrying kanwariyas and saffron-clad men creating ruckus on the roads.

Sources from the traffic police said the situation was particularly bad on Wednesday night, when jams were reported from across the city. “Kanwariya movement is a tricky situation to manage because of religious sentiments around it. Some hooligans take advantage of this and have a free ride ,” a senior traffic officer said.

Residents of Rajouri Garden block B said a group of men, who identified themselves as kanwariyas, have taken over the main road outside their neighbourhood for the past one week.

“They hold batons and direct traffic away from their tents. It is not just a traffic menace but also a safety concern. There are groups of hooligans who do not remotely look like pilgrims outside our colony gates,” Sharmila Singh, a resident, said. Singh alleged that she complained on the traffic helpline on Tuesday, but no action was taken.

Sridhar Kanan, a resident of Vasant Vihar, said, “I had stopped at a traffic signal near Munirka when a motorcycle with three men wearing saffron clothes kept honking at me. When I signalled at the red light, they started banging on my window. I kept it shut to avoid a confrontation,” Kanan said.

“In areas with high kanwar movement, we have deployed additional personnel. We are acting on as many complaints as we can,” a traffic officer said.