Choked junctions, bumper-to-bumper traffic and absolute chaos on several main thoroughfares. The problem has been quite big for road users in twin cities for the past few days.
Defunct signals coupled with haphazard parking of vehicles near marriage halls and also deployment of traffic policemen in curfew-bound areas has led vehicular movement to go haywire even as the few policemen on duty threw up their hands unable to handle the long winding snarls.
Super busy junctions of Ameerpet, Begumpet, Balanagar, Paradise in Secunderabad, Khairatabad, RTC crossroads, Dilsukhnagar, Mettuguda, Tarnaka, Champapet, etc., which link to several residential areas are being totally jammed much to the consternation of the citizens.
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“For last two weeks, it was hell to travel on the roads because of traffic gridlocks,” said M. Rohit Roy, a businessman from Hubsiguda. Stationing traffic policemen in the old city during the communal trouble for bandobust arrangements is also being faulted as many feel the higher ups should have made alternative arrangements.
“Police usually struggle a lot to regulate ‘normal' vehicular movement so you can imagine the situation when they are not present,” said W. John, an auto driver from Mettuguda.
Another factor contributed for traffic bedlam was haphazard parking of vehicles on the main roads outside marriage halls. For many, it took more than an hour to cross one kilometre stretch at Tarbund in Secunderabad on Saturday last after scores of guests parked their vehicles on the road.
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Marriage ceremonies
“Senior politicians, bureaucrats and other VIPS parked their vehicles wherever they liked ignoring the ‘no-parking boards' during the marriage ceremony organised by a former MP at Tarbund,” cried a senior officer.
The lanes and by-lanes connecting over 30 marriage halls in Tarbund, Gunrock Colony and Bowenpally were also blocked. Situation was almost similar at Champapet, L.B. Nagar and its surroundings. Rather belatedly, the police are now threatening to crack down on function halls with inadequate parking space.
“Closure orders will be issued if the managements failed to comply with norms,” another senior officer said.
“We will take necessary measures to ensure smooth flow of traffic. With curfew removed, we have moved back our men for regular traffic duties,” said Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) C.V. Anand.