BENGALURU: While Congress leaders and workers are trying to hog the limelight during the Bharat Jodo Yatra, it is the citizens who have been inconvenienced the most. Wherever the rally, led by party senior leader Rahul Gandhi, has passed in Karnataka, it has left a trail of frustrated motorists stuck in traffic jams.
It was no different on October 9 (Sunday), when vehicle users were stranded on the tolled National Highway connecting Bengaluru and Chitradurga for hours. The situation was made worse as one side of the road is closed for repair and widening works, reducing the highway to a two-lane stretch. With Congress workers travelling in buses, goods carriers, vans and other vehicles, it was further reduced to one-and-a-half lane. People, who were heading back to Bengaluru after a long festive week, were stuck in traffic jams that stretched for kilometres.
“The road is tolled and driving here is supposed to be hassle-free. Repair and construction works are fine, but cutting the width of the road further to let political party workers pass and cause traffic jams is not acceptable. It took me two hours to travel a 10 km distance on the highway,” said Sudha, who was travelling to Bengaluru.
Bengaluru-Mysuru road too saw heavy traffic as vehicle were moving bumper to bumper with many people returning Bengaluru. A large number of Congress workers heading to Tumakuru and Chitradurga worsened the traffic condition.
Frustrated with slow traffic, many people were seen walking on the road to reach their destinations. Autorickshaw drivers made the most of it, demanding Rs 300-500 to cover 5 km. An auto driver said if he takes political party workers, he gets Rs 500 per person and he was charging the same from citizens, stranded in rain and traffic.
Traffic snarls were also reported when the yatra entered Chikkanayakanahalli, Huliyar, and Hiriyur.
GR Shanmugappa, president, Federation of Karnataka State Lorry Owners and Agents Association, said the rally has affected the movement of goods vehicles. He suggested that those planning rallies on highways should walk in 2-3 lines, instead of occupying the entire road.
ADGP (Law & Order) Alok Kumar, however, said the rally did not affect the traffic on highways as the police had planned it well. “Even on single-lane stretches, we had ensured traffic diversions. On October 6 morning, farmers staged a rasta roko in Srirangapatna which affected traffic movement for two hours. That apart, no major traffic snarl came to our notice,” he said.