Traffic gridlocks disrupt normal life in Hyderabad as parties gear up for LS polls

As the political heat in view of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections started to gain intensity, the normal life in different parts of the city on Tuesday was thrown out of gear with a series of traffic gridlocks emanating from meetings organised by the BJP and the Congress.

The traffic flow was affected around Parade Grounds where Chief Minister, A Revanth Reddy organized a meeting with women members of self help groups. The traffic police through several media platforms advised people to avoid Begumpet, Rasoolpura, Paradise, YMCA, and SBH cross-roads and take alternate routes. The traffic slow downs on the alternate routes continued for at least four hours.

“People suffer a lot due to big political programs in the city. The organizers should instead conduct it on the city outskirts. Look at our travails caught in the traffic maze,” lamented Vipin, a marketing executive, at Begumpet.

The traffic police had issued an advisory to the public to avoid certain routes around Parade Grounds between 11 pm to 8 pm on Tuesday. Due to the traffic restrictions, food delivery boys were unable to deliver the parcels at offices around Parade Grounds.

“The delivery boys took more than usual time to hand



over the parcels. Few managed to reach the customers by taking alternate routes while others simply cancelled the orders,” said Dimple Singh, a front office executive at a mobile phone company.

Another program in Secunderabad was organized by the BJP at Imperial Garden in Secunderabad where union Home Minister Amit Shah participated. There were traffic restrictions around the venue as well resulting in problems for the people. The traffic police here were seen trying hard to convince the motorists to take alternate routes.

The union Home Minister later visited the old city in the evening and offered prayers at the Bhagya Laxmi. For this visit, the traffic police who were not informed in advance, imposed restriction on traffic movement from Secunderabad to Charminar and from there to LB Stadium where a BJP meeting was held.

Due to traffic restrictions there were traffic slowdowns at Gowliguda road, Afzalgunj, Goshamahal, Begum Bazaar, Petlaburj and Madina Building. “The VIP visits and public meetings should be organized on public holidays. Due to these, the common public are put to hardship,” said Sadiq Hussain at Afzalgunj. Traffic jams were also reported around the LB Stadium due to VIP movements in the evening too.