BJP rally gives commuters a harrowing time

Kolkata: Commuters had a harrowing time with massive traffic congestion in the city on Friday due to BJP's demonstration protesting against Thursday's incident in Darjeeling.

BJP supporters started staging demonstration at some parts of the city which affected the normal movement of traffic. People were heavily inconvenienced as all of a sudden movement of traffic slowed down and many were left stranded. Supporters of the party put up a roadblock on Chittaranjan Avenue and Colootala Street. It led to obstruction of traffic movement and to massive traffic congestion in the central business district. In a bid to keep the traffic moving, police diverted vehicles heading towards Dorina Crossing from Girish Park while those towards Girish Park were diverted from Chittaranjan Avenue and Lenin Sarani Crossing.

The situation turned worse when traffic was suspended on all flanks of MG Road and Chittaranjan Avenue. Traffic on SPM Road towards Exide crossing also slowed down due to the political rally.

There was also roadblock at Hazra crossing and it led to closure of roads including SPM Road from Rashbehari crossing, Hazra Road from Sarat Bose Road crossing and SPM Road from Hazra crossing. Finally, the police had to divert buses and minibuses through Rashbehari Avenue-Sarad Bose Road. There was massive traffic congestion on Howrah Bridge due to roadblock.

Manoj Ghosh, a resident of Belgharia, said he had to reach a hospital before 3 pm in South Kolkata where one of his relatives was admitted. But it had not become possible for him to reach to his destination on time as he got stuck in a massive traffic congestion.

He said: "Such all of a sudden demonstration by putting up roadblock should be banned as it causes harassment to common people. Any sort of political rallies should take place only on weekends and at designated areas."