City traffic goes haywire

COMMUTERS HAD a tough time negotiating the main roads and crossings of the city on the day before the election here. They had to remain stranded at the crossings for prolonged hours, as there was utter chaos during the first half of the day.

COMMUTERS HAD a tough time negotiating the main roads and crossings of the city on the day before the election here. They had to remain stranded at the crossings for prolonged hours, as there was utter chaos during the first half of the day.

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Despite the fact that no vehicular procession of candidates was allowed the traffic went haywire and crossings were blocked in the absence of traffic constables at important crossings.

Now with the polling for local bodies election due on Tuesday traffic and police constables have been deployed for election duty. Even the home guards have not been spared by the district administration and they have been summoned for election duty.

The problem started from LIC crossing, which has six sections. The traffic scenario at this multi-section crossing became chaotic in the absence of traffic cops and home guards. Movement of traffic at Birhana road, Ram Narain Bazar and Sen College virtually came to a standstill. Similarly, another busy crossing of the city, Bada Chauraha having six sections witnessed traffic disorder. The road leading to district court and Meston Road blocked the movement of traffic.

Traffic jam was also witnessed at Parade crossing where commuters had a tough time. Roads leading to Nai Sadak and Civil lines were awfully blocked due to unruly traffic. Since crossings are generally used as parking space by rickshaw-pullers, horse-carts and hand driven carts the traffic problem becomes all the more acute there. Another important road crossing at Chunniganj also witnessed similar chaos. Though the Colonelganj police station is just 100 yards from the crossing the police personnel did not make any effort to streamline the traffic flow.

However, in the later half of the day traffic movement was streamlined at many of the crossings.

A police official on the condition of anonymity said that ‘unofficial’ movement of candidates along with large number of their supporters in several vehicles without carrying party flags of publicity material, also proved to be a major reason for traffic jams in the city.

Worst suffers of the traffic jams were hospital-bound patients in ambulances.