The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : DYFI agitation disrupts traffic

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Thursday, Jul 02, 2009
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Kerala

Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

DYFI agitation disrupts traffic

Staff Reporter

Snarls lasting hours on several stretches put commuters to hardship

— Photo: S. Mahinsha

CHOCK-A-BLOCK: Traffic snarl on the Museum-Vellayambalam road in the city on Wednesday morning.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) stir in front of Raj Bhavan on Wednesday morning led to traffic snarls lasting several hours on many stretches in the city.

Motorists were taken by surprise to see the road from Manmohan Bungalow to Vellayambalam junction closed to vehicular traffic owing to the stir that began early in the morning. School and college students and office-goers were the worst affected.

Utter confusion prevailed at Vellayambalam junction as traffic was not allowed on the Vellayambalam-Kowdiar road.

Vehicles were also diverted from the TTC junction to Devaswom Board and Nanthancode. Keston Road was also out of bounds for vehicular traffic.

The traffic police were helpless as almost all roads were choked.

Traffic snarls were witnessed on Ambalamukku-Kowdiar-TTC, TTC-Devaswom Board - Nanthancode-Corporation office, Vazhuthacaud-Vellayambalam and Vellayambalam-Museum stretches. Around 10 a.m., the traffic snarl extended up to Pippinmoodu and Oolampara as vehicles coming from the city were diverted from Peroorkada.

The closure of the Kowdiar-Pattom road for laying of pipes under the Japan Bank for International Cooperation-aided drinking water project compounded the problem.

Confusion prevailed at Nanthencode junction too.

Road users complained that the traffic police did not divert traffic properly. Diverting vehicles through Kowdiar Gardens, Temple junction, Sasthamangalam to Kochar Road would have provided relief.

A senior traffic official said the DYFI had promised that the agitation would be held on the side of the road and at the main gate of the Raj Bhavan. However, it staged a sit-in on both sides of the road and on the second gate of the Raj Bhavan.

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