Political activity leads to traffic snarl

Political activity leads to traffic snarl

Staff Reporter

Police block traffic near Raj Bhavan

— Photo: K Murali Kumar

Nowhere to go: A massive traffic jam paralysed the city’s main business district as the political drama happened around Raj Bhavan. This was the scene at Cubbon Road from BRV Police Ground towards General Post Office.

BANGALORE: Traffic in the central business district was severely affected on Monday evening following hectic political activity at Raj Bhavan.

The problem started after the city police blocked traffic between Police Thimmaiah Circle near Hotel Capitol and Basaveshwara Circle. This was done just before the arrival of legislators of the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Janata Dal (Secular) to the Raj Bhavan in a bus and other vehicles. Many supporters of both parties had gathered near the Raj Bhavan in anticipation of the legislators’ visit. Many vehicles, including those from broadcast media, were parked on this road.

The traffic coming from the Queens Road and Cubbon Road was diverted towards Cunningham Road and Vidhana Soudha. The stretch of Ambedkar Veedhi adjoining Coffee Board was made one-way to allow the traffic move towards Indian Express and Bhagawan Mahaveer Road.

This diversion affected the movement of traffic on Cubbon Road, Queens Road and other connecting roads. Traffic on both the roads moved slowly. “It took nearly two hours for me to reach HAL Corporate Office from Manipal Centre,” said Harsha B., a software engineer, who was driving his car to his house in R.T. Nagar.

Similar was the experience of those driving from Vidhana Soudha.

Vehicles moved at a snail pace between Vidhana Soudha and General Post Office.

The movement of traffic was affected on Cunningham Road, which bore the brunt of the diverted traffic.

It was difficult for people to catch buses at the bus stop near Wockhardt Hospital, as many buses were not stopping at that point. Some of the passengers were found walking down to Shivaji Nagar to catch buses.

It was also difficult for people to reach venues in the roads connecting Raj Bhavan Road.

Among those included the participants to a talk on “Library in 21st centaury” held at the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan on Race Course Road. “I walked all the way from Mahatma Gandhi Road to the venue to avoid the traffic jam,” said participant Hemant C.

Normal traffic movement was restored around 8 p.m.