BHUBANESWAR: Much as it was celebration for Biju Janata Dal and its 50,000 workers, for the denizens it was an ordeal that lasted for six long hours. Hundreds were caught in traffic snarls and many almost missed their flights and trains as all roads led to the city airport while Commissionerate Police paved the way for the ruling party activists, unmindful of the pain the public went through.
Poor crowd and traffic management only added to the chaos. Commuters had a harrowing experience as thousands of BJD workers from different parts of the State thronged the Biju Patnaik International Airport to welcome Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and take part in the roadshow.
The show culminated at Naveen Niwas at around 2 pm but the ordeal started much early in the day. It was Capital Hospital which bore the brunt, thanks to its proximity to BJD office and airport. Ambulance service to the hospital, city’s premier government healthcare facility, was badly hit as all major roads leading to the establishment remained blocked for hours. Hundreds of vehicles also remained stuck in front of the hospital blocking movement of ambulances at its entrance.
An ambulance carrying a patient to the hospital remained stranded for nearly 25 minutes due to heavy road congestion and Commissionerate Police utterly failed in its green passage duty.Though the Commissionerate Police had issued an advisory for diversion of the vehicular traffic, the police were seen struggling to deal with the situation. “Police was least bothered by public inconvenience; it was working for the political masters,” said a commuter.
An official from the Capital Hospital said no discussion had been held with them regarding traffic arrangements or a dedicated corridor for movement of ambulances. Pramod Muduli, a resident of Sundarpada area, who had to take his baby for vaccination said it took him more than an hour to reach the Capital Hospital.
“The road from Bhimatangi to Airport square was packed with people making it extremely difficult for the vehicles to move,” Muduli said. Apart from patients and ambulances, those going to the airport remained stuck in the traffic for hours.
Babu Khan, a resident who had a flight to catch was seen running with his child to the terminal. Babu’s flight was scheduled at 2 pm but he could manage to reach the airport only at 1.30 pm. “We remained stuck at the traffic for more than an hour and could reach the airport parking lot only after the procession passed,” Babu said.
Airport authorities were unable to confirm if any person missed flight during the procession hours.The stretch from AG Square to Raj Mahal and to Capital hospital was chock-a-block, with vehicular movement also affected at Kalpana square, Vani Vihar and Acharya Vihar due to rallies and movement of people in large groups towards the airport.
A few schools reportedly stopped plying buses and urged parents to make own arrangements to drop their wards. Heavy rain in the morning also added misery to the stranded commuters.