Traffic hit hard by rally

Thursday, Apr 22, 2010

    
 Traffic movement in Central Delhi was hit on Wednesday because of the BJP's protest rally against rising prices, causing a great deal of inconvenience to a large number of commuters.

Traffic congestion was reported at and around Parliament Street, Ashoka Road, Barakhamba Road, Tolstoy Marg and Sikandra Road during the first half of the day. Vehicular movement was worst hit on Ring Road, Mathura Road, Tilak Marg, Bahadurshah Zafar Marg, Jawaharlal Nehru Marg, Asaf Ali Road, Netaji Subhas Marg and Ranjit Singh Marg. Traffic movement from ISBT to ITO was also affected.

Officer-goer Reena Ray said: "Since I travel by a chartered bus from Nizamuddin to my office on Parliament Street, I took leave anticipating the traffic mess. I would never have been able to reach office in time."

Another commuter, Trilok Nath, said: "When I reached Parliament Street around 2 p.m., the entire road was cordoned off from all sides so I had to walk from Regal Cinema to the State Bank of India where I had some work. Though the distance was not much, the heat made the walk unbearable."

Around 300 traffic policemen were deployed on the rally route from Ramlila Maidan to Jantar Mantar to ensure that traffic was properly regulated.

Diverted

Commercial vehicles entering the city were diverted at Wazirabad T-Point, Chandagi Ram Akhara, Laxmi Nagar, ISBT Yamuna bridge, Nizamuddin bridge and Neela Gumbad in Nizamuddin. Buses were also being diverted at various places.

No buses including chartered buses were allowed on Ranjit Singh Marg towards Guru Nanak Chowk from Barakhamba side.

Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Satyendra Garg said: "Traffic management during the rally was largely smooth. There was a bit of slowing down of vehicles at some important points in the route but there was hardly any dislocation anywhere. Only at the time of dispersal of the rally, due to limited route for exit of people from the Ramlila grounds, there was congestion on Ring Road affecting movement from ITO to Shanti Van. Barring this stretch, traffic was normal on Ring Road."

"Apart from two main diversions from Raj Ghat to Ramlila Ground and from Ramlila Ground to Jantar Mantar, there was no diversion for normal traffic. However, precautionary traffic diversion for buses and commercial vehicles were put in place. At the time of dispersal of the rally, traffic restrictions were also put on Ranjit Singh flyover, Tolstoy Marg and Jantar Mantar," he added.

Original news source http://www.thehindu.com/2010/04/22/stories/2010042261570300.htm