Traffic on the National Highway 16 (Chennai-Kolkata) came to a standstill for over two hours on Thursday owing to the road-block agitation by political parties, including Telugu Desam Party, demanding Special Category Status for Andhra Pradesh.
Responding to the call given by the Pratyeka Hodha Vibhajana Hameela Sadhana Samiti, all the Opposition parties blocked the Kanakadurga Varadhi junction of NH 16.
CPI(M) leaders K. Ramakrishna, P. Madhu, actor Sivaji and others led the agitation, in which leaders and activists of Jana Sena Party and others took part. Along with the protesters Mr. Sivaji also climbed the trucks on the highway and raised slogans demanding that the Centre grant SCS for the State.
On the other end of the NH 16 at Ramavarappadu Ring Road, activists of ruling Telugu Desam Party, Congress and YSR Congress Party staged protests. The protesters formed human chain and blocked traffic flow for a couple of hours. TDP youth leader D. Avinash led the protests by party activists.
As a precautionary measure, police announced diversions at various junctions in view of the ongoing SSC examinations.
As the protests began after the SSC examination began, the road block did not affect students going for the examination. However, in the afternoon, students had to bear the traffic snarls while leaving for their homes from examination centres.
