TIRUCHY: Residents and social activists in Tiruchy urged the police department not to permit political rallies, public and street-corner meetings in the city after the rally by Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), brought traffic to a standstill.
The VCK rally began at TVS Tollgate and ended on Bharathiar Road near the Corporation HQ.
Traffic was affected on arterial roads including Palakkarai Main Road, Bharathiyar Road, Williams Road, Birds Road, and the Central Bus Stand.
Residents and social activists said the rallies cause severe inconvenience to public.
Saturday traffic snarl lasted for over two hours, leaving thousands of commuters stranded and emergency vehicles struggling to pass. According to police sources, around 70,000 people and 4,000 vehicles took part in the from various districts. A total of 500 police personnel were deployed, but they proved to be inadequate.
Commuters waiting in the Central Bus Stand said buses were delayed, forcing many, especially women and elderly people, to walk long distances. Auto drivers and delivery agents of online aggregators reported losses due to long detours and idle hours. Social media was flooded with photos and videos of vehicles stuck in gridlock, with bikers dangerously weaving through traffic.
Residents allege that despite being aware of the rally's scale, the city police failed to effectively implement traffic diversion. Speaking to TNIE, R Rajasekar, a software professional from KK Nagar, said, "Why are rallies allowed on main roads during peak hours?. Why can't the police redirect such events to open grounds or outer ones? This is not against any party. But allowing rallies on busy city roads during peak hours is highly irresponsible. On Saturday evening, we suffered for over two hours just to travel a few kilometres. Saturday's jam was one of the worst we have seen this year. "
P Ayyarappan, a road safety activist, said, "During and after the rally, police personnel were seen just standing by, not intervening or managing the situation effectively. They failed to stop vehicles from entering the city, allowing rally participants to be picked up directly from congested city roads. This lack of control was one of the major causes of the traffic chaos. There should have been a stricter policy."
He said that no gathering should be allowed near statues of leaders and such places are not rally stages but places of respect.
"Such events block roads and disrupt public movement. Sensitive areas must be declared no-protest zones. The right to protest is important, but not at the cost of people's freedom to move. If unavoidable, proper traffic plans and public notices are essential," he added.
When contacted, a senior police official said, "Crowd control was a challenge due to the large turnout. It was more than expected. Managing movement across multiple intersections simultaneously was difficult. We understand the inconvenience caused to the public, and future permissions will come with stricter conditions."