THREE ROADS LEAD TO ONE
Pictures by PTI and Ranjeet Kumar Dey
9am: Rally supporters start marching on Bailey Road, Beer Chand Patel Marg and Fraser Road to Gandhi Maidan. Other party workers mount vehicles with flags and banners of JDU, RJD and Congress
11am: Rally participants choke Bailey Road and Fraser Road. Vehicles keep coming from outside city via Mahatma Gandhi Setu and Danapur
12noon: Bailey Road and Fraser Road continue to remain choked with party workers. People seen on way to Gandhi Maidan as well as returning from there
2pm: Supporters continue to walk on Fraser Road, Beer Chand Patel Marg, Hardinge Road and Bailey Road with minimal movement of vehicles
4.30pm: Rally participants start returning from Gandhi Maidan. Thoroughfares across city remain chock-a-block for another two hours
The city wore a colourful look on Sunday as a sea of grand alliance supporters moved on the main roads carrying flags of their respective parties. Amid political songs and slogans blaring from loudspeakers, Patna resembled a carnival of sorts. The traffic management collapsed with movement of thousands of people from different parts of the state. Vehicular movement virtually came to a halt and most residents remained indoors. Though rally participants did not create any ruckus on streets, reaching the airport and bus stands were a tough task. The hangout destinations wore a deserted look unlike normal weekends. Piyush Kumar Tripathi gauges the city's pulse
COMMUTE CHAOS
Passengers alighting from trains at Patna Junction, Rajendra Nagar Terminal and long-distance buses at Mithapur bus stand, faced a tough time reaching their destinations. With autorickshaws not plying, many decided to walk.
There were a few, who missed their trains as they arrived late at Patna Junction. "I had to board the Lokmanya Tilak Express for going to Mumbai. As the train was scheduled to depart at 11.05am, thus I had started from my home at Jagdeopath at 9am. However, there was too much traffic jam and as a result I reached the station around 11.30am," said Sanjay Kumar, an employee of a private firm.
Many fliers were seen stranded at the terminal building at Jaya Prakash Narayan International Airport for several hours owing to minimal availability of taxi service. Majority of taxi drivers refused to take out their vehicles owing to the snarls.
"Though we are running the taxis, it is taking not less than an hour or two for taking passengers to their respective destinations even within the city. Charges are a bit high for taking passengers outside the city from the airport," said Vinod Singh, a taxi driver at the airport.
PARKING PANGS
Hundreds of vehicles had been parked all across the city as far as Jagdeopath. People from outside the city, too, attended the rally by managing to arrive on Saturday itself. Many internal streets, too, were cramped with rally vehicles.
BUSINESS BOTHER
From medical stores to grocers, many shops remained closed during the first half of the day. Shutters were opened in the evening. "We decided to close shops as we knew customers won't be able to commute on the streets owing to the rally," said Lalan Kumar, a grocery shop owner near Income Tax roundabout.
HANGOUT HASSLE
Popular spots like Patna zoo, Rajdhani Vatika and P&M Mall and other places, which are normally thronged by residents on weekends, witnessed a poor footfall owing to the rally.
Employees at the ticket counters of the zoo and the park claimed that the ticket sales were extremely low.
Buddha Smriti Park, which has lately become a popular hangout destination among youngsters, was also seen deserted on Sunday.
DRAB DELIGHTS
No screenings were held at Regent Cinema till 6pm owing to the rally and two shows of the Saif-Katrina starrer Phantom were screened thereafter. Mona and Elphinstone, on the other hand, ran shows as usual but with poor footfall.
"The shows were held with only a handful of people till the rally got over. It was obvious, as our theatres are situated just adjacent to Gandhi Maidan, where the rally was held. The situation, however, improved in the evening," said Sharad Kumar, manager (accounts), The Premiere Square, which houses Mona and Elphinstone.
