Autos on the Girish Park-Phoolbagan route went on a flash strike since morning on Wednesday to protest a police order not allowing them to ply after 3pm till Dashami.

Such an order has been issued in the past as well to ensure roads are free of snarls in the evening when pandal-hoppers come out on the streets in large numbers, the police said.

The bar on autos from plying after 3pm from Chaturthi started last year. “Last year, too, autos were not allowed to ply after 3pm from Chaturthi,” an officer said.

The flash strike left people in the lurch. At the Girish Park crossing around noon, a woman from Kankurgachi said she had been waiting with her daughter for almost 30 minutes. “Buses are running packed. People are getting on to moving buses... but I cannot do that with my daughter,” she said.

An auto driver wanted to know why the bar was only on three-wheelers when buses, taxis and app cabs were plying. “We, too, have families. We get a lot of passengers during Puja and it is a good source of income. But the police are not allowing us to earn,” the driver said.

A police officer said the bar on autos during evenings was “a good decision”. Since the auto stand is on the main road, it will get difficult to manage traffic with several autos waiting on the road, the officer said.

“Moreover, autos tend to park in front of crossings. During Puja buses cannot stop anywhere, especially near the crossings, because of heavy police presence,” he said.

A group of auto drivers visited Jorabagan traffic guard and requested the police to allow them to ply after 3pm.

An officer said it was not possible to allow autos to ply in the evening.