Hyderabad: Honking by frustrated drivers as well as yelling and shrieking and traffic jams were the order of the day around the Hyderabad street race circuit of NTR Marg till the last of the barricades were removed on Sunday evening.
Motorists were irked when they weren't allowed to drive on NTR Marg and Mint Compound road despite the Formula E race having ended the previous day, and the barricades were still in place.
Some restless drivers got into a quarrel near the Telugu Talli flyover, while some even ganged up against the traffic police on duty - some with questions that did elicit any answers and others pleading in utter desperation.
"I was coming from Yousufguda and I had to urgently reach Begum Bazaar and this is the fastest route for me. I have been suffering for the past few days because of traffic diversions. It is beyond my understanding why the barricades were not removed immediately after the event was over," said Mamidi Sanjay Kumar, driving a four-wheeler.
"The public didn't ask for this race to be organised. Why are we subject to such suffering? Our patience and silence are being taken for granted. Will the government take responsibility if any untoward incidents happen or a life is lost," yelled another angry driver.
Hyderabad roads are usually quiet and calm on Sundays but Khairatabad, Liberty crossroads and areas adjoining them witnessed bumper-to-bumper traffic until late evening.
The traffic police manning the area had no answers except to say that they were only following orders, said Aarti Nair, a motorist.
"When an irate man asked the cops about the barricades, the cop told him that they would be removed after three hours, which is at 7 pm. Is that a muhurtam or some sort of a joke," she wondered.
It was only after a VIP convoy passed through that the barricades were lifted and traffic flow was restored to a near-normalcy, around 5.30 pm.
In their relief motorists zoomed past as soon as the barricades were removed. The traffic disappeared in no time.
As things stand, the barricades on IMAX road are yet to be removed. It is supposed to be cleared for traffic from Monday.
"The equipment here is huge. Its dismantling and transportation will take some more hours. We are hoping to be through by midnight," said one of the workers at the site.
The focus, right now, is on clearing the place. Reinstallation of streetlights will take a few more days. Vendors, who do business in the vicinity, were informed beforehand that they could resume their work from Monday.
"We did plead with the police last week to help us come here as soon as they are done with clearing the place. We wished to have at least some customers, especially because it was a weekend evening but he was stern," said Abid Ali, a chat vendor, who visited the place just to check if he could still put up his 'bandi' late Sunday evening.
