Nagpur witnessed severe traffic gridlock on Thursday after police closed a crucial road stretch to manage the large influx of devotees to the Ganesh Tekdi temple on New Year's Day. The decision to block the Manas Chowk to railway station road, aimed at curbing auto-rickshaws and e-rickshaws, backfired, leading to widespread chaos for daily commuters and railway passengers.
Road Closure Triggers Widespread Disruption
Anticipating lakhs of devotees at the Ganesh Tekdi mandir on January 1, the Nagpur Traffic Police made a pre-emptive move. They closed the vital stretch from Manas Chowk to the railway station to regulate vehicle flow and specifically restrict autos and e-rickshaws. However, this well-intentioned plan caused major disruption across adjacent areas, especially during peak hours.
The Manas Chowk-railway station road is a key access route for a large number of citizens. Its closure created a domino effect. Commuters from Sadar and nearby areas, who depend on Kingsway, and those heading to platform 8 via Cotton Market road, all found themselves caught in the snarl.
Commuters Stranded, Passengers in Panic
The immediate consequence was heavy congestion on the alternate Tekdi road from Zero Mile to Manas Chowk. Vehicles remained stuck for prolonged periods, forcing many frustrated motorists to take U-turns in search of other routes.
This led to a spillover effect on all major approach roads:
- Many travellers turned back to Zero Mile square and tried to proceed via Kingsway road, causing severe jams on that already busy artery.
- Others attempted to use the Cotton Market road, which also quickly became clogged with vehicles.
The prolonged snarls caused significant panic among those trying to catch trains. Many railway passengers reported nearly missing their trains due to the unexpected delays and forced detours. In a desperate bid to reach on time, some commuters were seen abandoning their vehicles and walking to the station with their luggage.
Police Explain Rationale Behind the Move
Speaking to the media, Sitabuldi traffic zone Police Inspector Aniruddha Puri explained the reasoning behind the temporary closure. He stated that the road was blocked as thousands of devotees visited the temple and the movement of autos and e-rickshaws was creating chaos.
"We allowed senior citizens and people wanting to go to the railway station. Our main focus was on stopping autos and e-rickshaws," said PI Puri. The police action was thus targeted at specific vehicle types, but the overall traffic management plan failed to account for the volume of diverted traffic, leading to the city-wide congestion.
The incident highlights the perennial challenge faced by city authorities in balancing religious festivities with smooth urban mobility, especially around key transit hubs like the Nagpur railway station.
