VIPs have a free ride by halting Hyderabad traffic
Hyderabad: The VIP movement of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao and ministers hits traffic during the peak hours due to the ongoing Assembly session.
The traffic commissioner said commuters are only stopped for a few minutes for the VIP protocol of the CM.
However, commuters said that traffic is blocked when the CM, ministers and speaker enter and exit the Assembly.
Commuters coming from Gunpark signal and Ravindra Bharathi and those driving towards Lakdikapul and Tank Bund via Ravindra Bharathi were annoyed as they had to wait at traffic signals to give way to the VIP movement from 10 am onwards.
E. Rama Krishnna, a commuter who was stuck in traffic due to the VIP movement on Tuesday, said, “It was like another horrific day due to the traffic jam as VIPs are going around in the city.”
Satya Venkatesh, another commuter, said, “My office is in Masab Tank and I reached at 10:30 am even though I started from my residence at Nampally at 9:30 am. Many VIP vehicles were moving near Gunpark junction. Even though the VIP protocol is only meant for the CM many VIP vehicles were following the CM convoys.”
Dr V. Ravinder, joint traffic commissioner, said, “There is not much traffic congestion in the city due to ongoing Assembly session. Commuters are just stopped for few minutes at the Ravindra Bharathi junction for the CM’s convoy to pass.”