Mess up by traffic police leads to chaos on the roads
Hyderabad: Hyderabad city traffic police failed miserably in managing traffic as a result of which there was utter chaos in many areas, including main roads located in the central part, even as the Koti Deepotsavam- 2024 was underway on Thursday evening.
With President Droupadi Murmu attending the programme at NTR Stadium, traffic restrictions were imposed from 5.30 pm to 9 pm from the Begumpet airport to NTR Stadium. Literally left unregulated, traffic went out of gear at main junctions like the Somajiguda circle, Khairatabad circle, Tank Bund and the vicinity of the stadium.
Clogged traffic and the congested roads filled with jammed vehicles on the narrow paths and commuters expressing frustration was the order of the day, especially on the connecting roads to these junctions, including from Raj Bhavan to the venue.
Visitors had a tough time reaching the venue, which was made worse in locating the makeshift parking lot at PVR function hall and the U-turn at Steel Bridge.
Ironically, 225 police personnel from various police stations were deployed only near the venue.
Autorickshaw driver Asif said, “It was all packed near the Tolichowki. I did not know how to get out of it. Here too, there is so much traffic because people have to get down and give money to us, even as the impatient ones from behind kept honking.”
A student blamed the organisers and police cops for the disorderly mess and asked, “What can one do in emergency situations?”
Traffic was clogged at the Punjagutta and Greenlands junctions, Begumpet flyover, HPS exit, Shyam Lal building, PNT flyover, airport Y junction, Monappa junction, Yashoda Hospital, Raj Bhavan Road, VV statue, Khairatabad flyover, Necklace rotary, NTR Marg, Telugu Talli junction and flyover, Katta Maisamma, Iqbal Minar, Old Ambedkar statue junction, Tank Bund, Ashok nagar junction and NTR stadium.
A traffic police officer said, “There was a two-day dress rehearsal regarding deployment of the traffic police, timings and how to react in case of any emergency. It was more so when the 31-vehicle convoy of the President started from Begumpet airport. Meetings were held by the chief of protocol and 30 various departments, including police, electricity, GHMC, forest, electricity and tele-communications to provide a route with no untoward incident.”
As soon as the President’s convoy left the stadium, police personnel on the roads started clearing the congesting roads.