BJP march snarls Nagpur traffic, Diwali shoppers stuck for hours

The BJP's "Save Democracy" (Loktantra Bachao) march in Nagpur on Thursday disrupted traffic across the city. Between 30,000 and 35,000 party workers reached Nagpur in more than 5,000 vehicles from different districts of Vidarbha. Long lines of vehicles formed on the main roads. People who had stepped out to shop just before Diwali were stuck in jams for hours. Residents are now asking whether anyone considered the hardship of ordinary citizens while gathering such a crowd for a political event.

Traffic came to a complete halt from Chhatrapati Chowk to Mankapur and on the roads leading into the city from Wardha Road. Vehicles also queued on the stretch from Janata Chowk to Samvidhan Chowk. The Kasturchand Park flyover, the flyover at LIC Chowk and the Adivasi Gowari flyover were also crowded with vehicles. On many roads, drivers could not find a way forward. The vehicles that came for the march virtually brought the city's daily traffic to a standstill.

Diwali shopping hit

With Diwali approaching, the markets of Sitabuldi and Dhantoli were crowded with shoppers. With roads blocked for the march, even reaching the markets became difficult. Police had closed several roads, forcing people to take long detours. Families, the elderly and small children suffered the most. Traders are also feared to be affected by the jam during the festival season.

Ambulances also stuck

Dhantoli and Ramdaspeth have several large private hospitals. Traffic is heavy there in the evening in any case. The jam caused by the march also affected ambulances. The question is whether a separate route and full arrangements were in place for emergency services while the roads were filling up. If ambulances themselves have to struggle through obstructions to reach hospitals, the claims of traffic planning mean little.

Where did the deployment of 700 police personnel go

It had been said that more than 700 police personnel would be deployed for the march. Police had also claimed that there would be no traffic jam. But the situation on the ground belied those claims. Major intersections, flyovers and roads leading to the markets were packed with vehicles. Who will explain why traffic could not be kept smooth despite such a large police deployment?

In the march held in the name of saving democracy, the hardship of ordinary people went unnoticed. Political parties have the right to show their strength, but no one has the right to trouble the entire city for it. The march will end and the workers will go home, but who will make up for the time lost in the jam and the hardship people endured?