Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Monday lauded the Kolkata Police for efficiently managing city traffic and ensuring a smooth commute for office-goers and daily passengers, despite lakhs of people pouring into the city to attend the Trinamool Congress’s Martyrs’ Day rally. Justice Tirthankar Ghosh, who had earlier directed the Commissioner of Police (CP), Kolkata, to maintain unobstructed traffic movement between 8 am and 11 am, remarked during case mentions: “The roads were maintained very well.
I always say that I have faith in the Kolkata Police.” However, Justice Ghosh also expressed disappointment over the sparse attendance of lawyers in court, stating that traffic conditions were not such that advocates could not have reached court. According to police sources, Kolkata Traffic Police personnel were placed on high alert from early Monday morning to prevent disruptions across the city. CP Manoj Kumar Verma personally inspected traffic arrangements starting around 6 am and returned to Lalbazar after nearly an hour-long round. At various strategic locations, traffic police diverted buses carrying TMC workers to designated parking areas to prevent congestion on key roads leading to Esplanade. After the rally concluded, Kolkata Police facilitated a smooth dispersal of the crowd. By 5 pm, nearly all buses that had entered the city from the districts had exited, police sources said. The traffic arrangements, including earmarked routes for rally-bound vehicles, successfully prevented major snarls. Surveillance cameras monitored the entire vicinity of the rally, and no untoward incidents were reported. As part of the traffic plan, buses were not allowed on the Maa Flyover throughout the day.
Meanwhile, the City Suburban Bus Service (CSBS) had earlier appealed for at least 20 per cent of buses to be kept available for general commuters. According to CSBS representative Tito Saha, a number of routes—particularly in North Kolkata and surrounding urban areas—remained operational for the general public. However, in rural regions, most buses were diverted for rally-bound supporters due to overwhelming demand.