Rally throws city traffic into chaos

By Our Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, AUG. 11. For the second time in the course of a week, traffic in the city was thrown into chaos for hours as hundreds of vehicles were stranded by a procession taken out by the women's wing of the CSI South Kerala Diocese to highlight atrocities on women.

In a blatant violation of the High Court restrictions on taking out processions, the organisers refused to permit vehicles to cross the road. As a result, all the side lanes leading to the main road along the entire route of the rally were clogged with vehicles.

Though the rallyists proceeded in two lines confined to the left side of the main road, this failed to ensure free flow of traffic.

Policemen on duty remained helpless as the organisers flatly refused to allow even two-wheelers to cross the road despite frantic pleas from motorists. Confusion prevailed for hours as cars, autorickshaws and two-wheelers piled up along the side lanes.

While policemen pleaded helplessness, the volunteers and organisors of the rally brusquely turned down requests from motorists to permit them to cross the road at junctions along the route.

All the parallel roads were choked with bumper-to-bumper traffic as buses bound for the East Fort terminus were diverted from various points. The traffic snarls extended all the way up to East Fort.

The situation worsened as the floats which participated in the rally turned back and made their way in the opposite direction along the main road clogging the free side.

When contacted, the City Police Commissioner, Mr. Rajan Singh, said action would be taken against the organisors of the rally for blocking traffic.

He said the refusal to permit vehicles to cross the road constituted a violation of the conditions under which the rally was granted permission by the police.

The High Court restrictions on taking out processions clearly specify that the organisors have the responsibility to ensure free flow of traffic. The order says that vehicles should be allowed to cross the road at regular intervals.

On Thursday, the city witnessed massive traffic snarls for over six hours when the diversions made by the police for the Travancore Marathon went haywire.

As political parties and other organisations stage rallies and processions to demonstrate their strength, it is the hapless city residents who are forced to bear the inconvenience of having to wait for hours in endless traffic snarls as the police remain helpless to control the situation.

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Section  : Southern States
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