A lower-than-expected turnout on roads and timely diversions kept traffic moving even when the city centre was blocked because of BJP leader and Union home minister Amit Shah’s public meeting on Wednesday afternoon.
The police said the roads — except the ones in the vicinity of the rally venue — were easier to manage because vehicles were fewer compared with a normal Wednesday. The roads near the venue, however, witnessed snarls.
Several Kolkatans The Telegraph spoke to said they deliberately avoided the routes that had the possibility of being affected by the BJP rally.
A mother escorting her daughter from her school in Minto Park took 35 minutes to reach home to Teghoria in the afternoon. Usually, it takes her around 50 minutes to travel the distance on a weekday.
A teacher at St James’ School started from the school on AJC Bose Road at 2.30pm and reached his destination, Behala, at 3.10pm.
“On other days, it takes 50 minutes to cover the distance. I had expected a traffic snarl but it was unusually clear and many cops were on roads,” he said.
Shah addressed a party meeting in front of Victoria House — the venue of chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s annual Martyr’s Day rally, held on July 21.
BJP workers were mobilised from across the state to join the meeting. Several teams marched to the city centre in the morning.
Vehicles headed south through Central Avenue were diverted from Ganesh Chandra Avenue. Vehicles headed north were diverted from Chowringhee Road and Red Road.
A parent of a school-going child set out from Rajdanga at 11.15am and reached Minto Park at 11.30am, via Gariahat and Ballygunge Circular Road.
“My daughter’s classes ended at 12.30 today. Anticipating snarls, I started early. But I reached the school in 15 minutes,” the parent said.
A resident of Ballygunge said she took Strand Road on her way to office at Girish Park. She reached her destination “before time.”
Some said they decided to postpone their meetings that were scheduled for Wednesday. A number of parents said they did not send their children to school to avoid any possibility of being stranded on roads.
At least one school in central Kolkata said they had lower attendance than on other days.
“In the junior school, we had about 20 to 30 per cent less attendance than on other days. Parents had written to us saying they might not send their children to school anticipating traffic snarls,” said Jessica Gomes Surana, principal, Loreto Day School, Elliot Road.
“As for the children who travel by pool cars, it is natural for the parents to keep them at home on such days,” said a teacher.