Nagpur: In a nightmarish turn of events on Monday, the Second Capital of Maharashtra, Nagpur, found itself in the midst of chaos as a massive morcha organized by Gowari community members brought the city to a standstill. The demonstration, which unfolded towards Zero Mile, resulted in unprecedented traffic disruptions, causing a ripple effect across key areas of Nagpur.
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Sat 21 Dec. 2024
The city experienced severe traffic jams at crucial junctions, including Sitabuldi, Jhansi Rani Square, Ramdaspeth, Janata Square, and RBI Square. The gridlock, exacerbated by the spill-over effect, left school students and office-goers stranded for hours, creating a situation akin to pandemonium on the streets.
Taking a page from the current political climate in the state, where sit-ins are employed as a means of pressuring the government to address community concerns, members of the Gowari community resorted to blocking traffic. Their primary demand revolves around seeking Scheduled Tribe (ST) status for their community, a move seen as crucial for securing various rights and privileges.
The Gowari community members, in a bid to draw attention to their cause, marched towards Zero Mile causing a cascade of disruptions in its wake. With the city’s transportation arteries paralyzed, the impact was felt far and wide, affecting the daily lives of residents and commuters.
City officials and law enforcement agencies scrambled to manage the situation, but the sheer scale of the morcha and the strategic locations chosen for the demonstration made it challenging to restore normalcy swiftly.
With the political establishment not fulfilling the promises, the outrage of Gowaris reached a boiling point resulting in Monday’s sit-in in the middle of the city. The city police was under pressure of not taking any harsh action as the establishment did not want to precipitate any further political crisis. Therefore, the agitation lingered throughout the day and it was citizens who were in a hapless situation as they suffered for no fault of theirs.
As a result, the Shaheed Gowari flyover, a crucial route, was closed to traffic which led to a multiple effect of congestion on Wardha Road. The Gowari community members began their march towards Zero Mile in the afternoon, with the number of participants surpassing the police’s expectations. Despite the escalating situation, senior Government officials failed to address the agitators, who settled for a protest near Morris College T-point. In response, senior police officials implemented traffic diversions and closed the flyover and stopped the traffic of various routes. The closure of these key routes redirected vehicle traffic to alternative roads which caused widespread congestion in several prominent squares across the city.
Law College Square, Bole Petrol Pump, Shankar Nagar Square, RBI Square, Loha Pul Square, Variety Square, Jhansi Rani Square, Munje Square, Panchsheel Square,and Janata Square were among the areas affected, witnessing a complete standstill of vehicular traffic for a long time. One of the most critical issues exacerbating the situation was the inadequate number of traffic police personnel available to manage the growing chaos.
Serpentine queues of vehicles stretched along the roads, with senior citizens, children, and regular commuters facing the consequences of the mismanagement well into the late evening.
