Rally chokes arterial roads, leaves commuters harried
Traffic movement on the city’s main arterial roads in central and New Delhi areas was badly affected on Wednesday, as nearly 20,000 protestors from various trade unions gathered at Jantar Mantar to protest price rise and corruption.
Traffic movement on the city’s main arterial roads in central and New Delhi areas was badly affected on Wednesday, as nearly 20,000 protestors from various trade unions gathered at Jantar Mantar to protest price rise and corruption.
Roads leading to Jantar Mantar were congested since 11am, when protestors started gathering at the venue.
Traffic police officials said areas like New Delhi railway station, JL Nehru Marg, Rajghat, ITO, Daryaganj, GPO, Ashok Road, Tolstoy Marg, Feroz Shah Road, Kasturba Gandhi Marg, Madhavrao Scindia Road, Minto Road, Barakhamba Road and Patel Chowk were the worst-affected. Portions of arterial roads like Ashoka Road were closed for vehicular movement.
Goods vehicles were diverted at various points to reduce traffic congestion.
Buses and private vehicles were also diverted at some points, said traffic police officials. No buses, including chartered buses, were allowed on Ranjit Singh Marg towards Guru Nanak Chowk from Barakhamba Road.
Traffic police officials said the flow of traffic returned to normal soon after the dharna was over at 2pm.
“Hundreds of traffic police personnel kept a constant watch on the situation to ensure smooth flow of traffic. However, traffic jams were reported from Jantar Mantar and Connaught Place,” said a senior traffic police official.
"It was a mess. It generally takes 40 minutes to commute between my home in Noida sector 62 and my office at Barakhamba Road. But it took me nearly two hours on Wednesday due to the massive jam,” said Yuvraj Sharma, a commuter.
Other commuters complained that traffic around Jantar Mantar remained stuck till late afternoon.
The traffic police had already put up barricades along the road from Jantar Mantar to Parliament Street.
