A large part of central Kolkata came to a standstill when chief minister Mamata Banerjee and her entourage marched through Chittaranjan Avenue on Thursday afternoon, but the alternative routes that were planned to be kept free of parking managed to keep the traffic moving.
Many who stepped out of their homes for work in central Kolkata said traffic was better than what they had expected.
“Vehicles were moving. I had to take a detour through Strand Road, but I could at least reach my destination in time,” said Reshmi Banerjee of Alipore, who had an urgent meeting at a College Street address.
Many Kolkatans this newspaper spoke to said they either travelled by Metro or did not step out of home at all fearing snarls.
A group of women from Jadavpur travelling to Paikpara took Metro from Rabindra Sarobar station, instead of travelling by private vehicles.
A chartered accountant from New Alipore skipped going to his Bentinck Street office on Thursday.
Police said they took all steps to ensure traffic kept moving through AJC Bose Road, APC Road, Strand Road and Bidhan Sarani, through which most vehicles that would have otherwise moved through Chittaranjan Avenue were diverted.
“We managed to keep vehicles moving through the Shyambazar-bound flank of Chittaranjan Avenue from time to time,” said an officer of the traffic department.
“The tail of the rally had spilled on the north-bound flank. Hence, we could not keep that flank open continuously. We operated the north-bound flank on and off to reduce the pressure on the alternative routes.”
The entire stretch of the Shyambazar-bound flank was finally opened to traffic only after 4.30pm.
Several bus owners said the vehicles underwent multiple diversions but could complete their trips. The owner of a bus on route 78 said his vehicle was diverted through APC Road from Shyambazar.
“It took a little longer but the trip could be completed,” the owner said. North-bound buses that usually ply through Jawaharlal Nehru Road, Chowringhee and Chittaranjan Avenue were diverted to Strand Road, via AJC Bose Road, from the Exide crossing.
North-bound buses heading for Sealdah, which normally travel through Lenin Sarani, were diverted to AJC Bose Road from the Exide crossing.
Howrah-bound buses were diverted towards Strand Road from Brabourne Road.
Officers at Lalbazar said restrictions were withdrawn from all roads, except Red Road, after 5pm.
