CPI(M)’s rally today: Traffic to choke city

Traffic in the city is expected to get affected on Sunday due to CPI(M)’s rally at Brigade parade Ground.

 The city police’s traffic department has made an elaborate plan to keep the vehicles moving, though at a slower pace, on major thoroughfares.

The rally at Brigade Parade Ground will begin at 12 noon. According to the police the party supporters are expected to pour into the city from the morning itself.

The situation is expected to turn worse when CPI-M supporters will start marching from Sealdah and Howrah Stations towards the venue.

Movement of vehicles on important roads including Chittaranjan Avenue, SN Banerjee Road, Bentinck Street, Lenin Sarani, Jawaharlal Nehru Road and Strand Road will be affected badly.

According to a senior officer of the traffic department, traffic sergeants and policemen will be deployed at various points to make the rallies pass through one flank of a road to pass vehicles from the other flank.

The officer said that like previous rallies, supporters are expected to reach the venue in mini-trucks and buses. Separate area has been identified where vehicles will be parked and from where supporters have to walk up to the venue.

Police have received information that separate rallies will be organised from Salt Lake, Dunlop and Behala. The rallies from these points will start marching towards the venue at around 11 am and is expected to throw the traffic in the city out of gear.

The situation is expected to worsen when party supporters from Howrah will start marching towards the venue as movement of vehicles on Howrah Bridge will have to be restricted for a certain period of time. The people who will reach the city from different parts of the country will get down from the train, either at Howrah or Sealdah stations. Sunday’s rally will cause inconvenience for those who will reach the stations after an overnight journey.

 People working in sectors like health and information technology will also be highly inconvenienced due to the traffic congestion. People those have plans to visit places like Alipore Zoological Garden, Indian Museum and Victoria Memorial Hall might need to change their schedule in order to avoid getting stuck in jams.