Kolkata: Kolkata Police have successfully managed the traffic during the Brigade rally and kept the city almost congestion free on Saturday despite unprecedented congregation of people at the United India meet.
In some areas, some congestion took place while the rallies were moving towards the Brigade Parade Ground but the situation turned normal within a few hours.
According to police sources, it was decided that no bus would be allowed to enter the Esplanade and the area around the Brigade Parade Ground. Since morning, traffic officials had kept a strict vigil on the buses coming with the Trinamool supporters and were strictly told to park at the designated parking areas. Only VIP and VVIP cars were allowed to enter the Brigade Parade Ground area.
Buses coming from North Kolkata were stopped near the Central Metro Station on Chittaranjan Avenue. From there, the Trinamool supporters walked to the Brigade Parade Ground. Buses coming from Howrah were parked at Kidderpore Goat Market area and Gangasagar Mela Camp ground.
Some were allowed to park at the Maidan area around the Rangers Club.
Apart from the buses, huge number of people held processions from seven points across the city to reach the Brigade Parade Ground. From Shyambazar, the rally went through Chittaranjan Avenue. Another came from Sealdah using S N Banerjee Road and Esplanade. Another rally from Milan Mela availed Park Circus and Rabindra Sadan to reach the venue. A rally also originated from Hazra and it availed Ashutosh Mukherjee Road and Jawaharlal Nehru Road and the one from Park Circus moved through Park Street and Jawaharlal Nehru Road. Apart from rallies originating in Kolkata, the one from Howrah availed Brabourne Road and Esplanade to reach Brigade.
Vehicular movement was slow on some roads such as Jawaharlal Nehru Road, Dorina Crossing, S N Banerjee Road Strand Road.
But necessary diversions were made as per the plan to reduce congestion. "An elaborate plan was made after a hectic workout. We had studied the traffic system and vehicular pressure which helped us to chalk out the plan. We succeeded due to the workout by the Kolkata Police team," said a senior Kolkata Police official from Lalbazar.