How city road Blocked by ruling politicians

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Revelry shuts key roads, chokes city

Major city roads like SN Banerjee Rd, Amherst St Closed For Third Evening, Traffic Detour Triggers Jams

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 

Kolkata: It’s a tradition of chaos and inconvenience that’s ritually observed every Kali Puja week in two pockets of central and north Kolkata. Two of the city’s busiest thoroughfares — SN Banerjee Road and Amherst Street, which serve as links between the eastwest and north-south — remain shut for three evenings in a row to host cultural programmes that are graced by local politicians. They are made out of bounds for traffic during the peak hours, forcing vehicles to take a detour, causing major congestions and harassment to commuters. Police play the mute spectators even as thousands are made to suffer. 
    On Diwali, SN Banerjee Road — perhaps the most congestionprone road in the city — came to a standstill at 8 pm for the third day in a row. Howrah- and Esplanadebound vehicles were made to turn right to Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Road from the Wellesly crossing and then diverted to Ganesh Chandra Avenue. The result was a predictable chaos in central Kolkata, with ripple effects halting traffic along Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Road, Lenin Sarani, Ganesh Chandra Avenue and Chittaranjan Avenue. 

    Up north, Amherst Street was shut down in the evening. The road, which is hosting a dozen Kali Pujas, including the one supported by MP Somen Mitra, is the arterial link between northern and southern parts of the city. On Wednesday, vehicles were made to take Sukia Street and Bidhan Sarani, choking both thoroughfares. With the organizers enjoying strong political patronage, there was none to protest the inconvenience. 
    “It’s been happening for the last two decades and we can’t change it overnight” — was the police’s argument. Leaders patronizing the pujas, in fact, merrily endorsed the blockade. MLA Swarnakamal Saha who is the chief organizer of a big puja on SN Banerjee Road, said the road has to be shut down to avoid accidents during the festival. “Thousands come to see the puja and the cultural programmes. We can’t help but ask the police to divert traffic,” said Saha. 
    Police endorsed the argument. “Traffic could be made to flow along a single lane in the evening. But with thousands spilling on to the road, it could cause accidents. Also, since the road has traditionally been shut down during the Kali Puja week, we can’t change it on our own,” said Dilip Banerjee, DC (Traffic). 
    Mayor Sovan Chatterjee, however, agreed that commuters suffered due to the blockade. “Traffic diversion is bound to cause jams which are very inconvenient, especially during the festive season. But this is not within my purview. I will try and address the issue with the help of the police,” said Chatterjee. 
    The statement, though, came as little consolation for those who were held up for hours inside crowded buses on Kali Puja. Many preferred to get off and walked a kilometre to Esplanade, before catching another bus to their destination. At SN Banerjee Road, traffic crawled from the morning as vendors selling Diwali gift items spilled on to the road, narrowing down the thoroughfare. It got worse in the evening as a huge crowd of revellers descended on the road. All hell broke loose for the third consecutive day as traffic movement was barred at 8 pm “It’s not only inconvenient but risky as well. We have to squeeze in, competing for space with other vehicles turning right from Wellesly. Passengers, of course, are the worst hit,” said Sanjoy Mondol, a bus driver. 
    Rajib Ray was on his way to Howrah to meet an ailing relative on Wednesday afternoon. The bus he was travelling in came to a halt on SN Banerjee Road at 2.10 pm. It remained there for the next 25 minutes and then crawled for about a 100 yards before coming to a stop at the traffic signal. “I avoided travelling along this road in the evening due to the blockade. But it seems no better in the afternoon either. Why can’t our politicians be a little more sympathetic towards us?” Ray asked. 
    On Amherst Street, all Sealdah-bound vehicles were diverted towards Sukia Street and APC Road from the Vivekananda Road crossing. “I had no idea that the road would be shut. Now which way should I go?” wondered Saikat Das, headed for Thakurpukur in his car. 
    The puja organizers were nonchalant. “Amherst Street has always been a place to visit during Kali Puja. Unless the road is shut to traffic, revellers can’t visit the pandals. The congestion is inevitable but I guess commuters should bear it during the festive season,” said Piyal Chaudhury, secretary of the Amherst Street Sadharan Sri Sri Kali Puja Committee.