Congress Protest in Chandigarh Triggers Severe Traffic Disruption
On Friday noon, Chandigarh witnessed significant traffic chaos as Congress workers staged a protest in Sector 15, leading to massive snarls on Madhya Marg and surrounding areas. The demonstration, aimed at protesting against the Punjab government, resulted in motorists and several ambulances being trapped in prolonged jams, exacerbating congestion across multiple sectors.
Protest Leads to Widespread Gridlock
A large number of Punjab Congress workers gathered at Congress Bhawan in Sector 15 with the intent to gherao the Vidhan Sabha. This assembly caused severe traffic disruptions, particularly on Madhya Marg from PGI Chowk to Transport Light Point. The situation was critical as both Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 16 (GMSH-16) and the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGI) are located along this route, leading to ambulances carrying critical patients getting stuck in the snarls.
Internal Roads Also Affected
As congestion built up on Madhya Marg, internal roads in sectors 8, 9, 10, 11, and 15 became clogged as well. Motorists reported spending one to two hours navigating the roads, with many diverting to these internal routes in an attempt to avoid the main artery, only to worsen the traffic situation further. The absence of functional traffic lights compounded the problem, forcing traffic police personnel to manage the flow manually, but relief did not come until around 3 pm.
Commuters Voice Frustration
Rajat Jain, a resident of Manimajra, shared his experience of being stuck in a jam on Madhya Marg for over an hour while returning home from PGI. He noted that the traffic chaos extended to the internal roads, causing widespread inconvenience. Commuters expressed frustration over the recurrent inability of traffic police to manage such situations effectively, citing a failure to estimate the number of protesters and prepare adequately, which led to the massive disruption.
The incident highlights ongoing challenges in urban traffic management during protests, with calls for improved planning to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
