For Bengalureans, it was Monday morning blues on the road

Congress protest, zero-traffic corridor for President Kovind's convoy causing gridlock in Bengaluru.

Image used for representational purpose only. (Express Illustrations)

BENGALURU: Bengalureans were forced to wait for long hours in traffic jams in various parts of the city on Monday due to two reasons -- the zero-traffic corridor created for President Ram Nath Kovind’s convoy, and the protest staged by Congress workers against the Enforcement Directorate, for summoning Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi.

President Kovind was to visit Rashtriya Military School on Museum Road for its platinum jubilee celebrations, and his route was fixed from HAL Airport Road to the school. The Congress protest site was Shanthinagar. However, the ripple effect was seen across the city, and the two events kept police on tenterhooks, right from 10am.

(Top) Traffic comes to a halt near the Enforcement Directorate office during Congress’ protest march in Bengaluru on Monday; Vehicles wait for the rally to pass, causing massive snarls across the city | Ashishkrishna HP

Traffic signals up to MG Road and Dickenson Road were easily managed, but police feared traffic spilling from Brigade Road, MG Road and other areas, as the Congress protest in the central business district area threw city traffic completely out of gear. Congress leaders from each of the BBMP wards, and some from neighbouring districts had arranged tempos, vans and private buses. Traffic snarls were reported in areas like Shanthinagar, Double Road, Richmond Circle, Lalbagh East and West Gate, Wilson Garden and other adjoining areas, while there was traffic congestion on Old Airport Road, HAL, Hebbal, Yelahanka, Outer Ring Road and surrounding areas.

As a result, hundreds of vehicles got stuck at various signals in and around Double Road. Many buses plying between Bengaluru and Hosur were stranded, with traffic inching along from 11am to 1.30pm.
The Congress protest was led by KPCC President DK Shivakumar and Opposition leader Siddaramaiah.

MLA STUCK ON ROAD TOO
A routine 10-minute drive from his Basavanagudi off­ice to Vidhana Soudha took over 50 mins for BJP MLA Uday Garudachar, due to the Congress protest. “I was he­­a­­d­ing to Vidhana Soudha, and as my driver failed to ch­e­ck the map today, we got stuck with hundreds of ot­­her vehicles. Even ambu­la­nces had a tough time and public had to make way. The stretch from Basavanagudi to Vidhana Soudha takes 15 minutes maximum, but today. I was delayed by almost an hour,” said Garudachar, Chickpet MLA.