Commuters stuck in a traffic snarl on Exhibition Road in Patna on Tuesday. Rallies organised by the RJD and the BJP choked the thoroughfares of the city. Picture by Ranjeet Kumar Dey

Patna, Oct. 11: Residents of the state capital today faced the unpleasant music of traffic snarls, as political bigwigs from both the ruling alliance and the Opposition took to the streets.

RJD chief Lalu Prasad and his party workers marched to Raj Bhavan this morning to complain against “bad governance” by the ruling alliance. BJP workers and supporters were also upbeat since early morning to welcome their leader L.K. Advani’s rath yatra against corruption. It chugged into the city in the evening.

Crushed between the two juggernaut road shows, the citizens struggled to reach their destinations, as most of the thoroughfares of the city were choked by endless snarls throughout the day.

School students sweat it out in their bus caught in a traffic snarl on Beer Chand Patel Path in Patna on Tuesday. Picture by Deepak Kumar

Chajjubagh resident Naveen Kumar, who was stuck near JP roundabout, said: “Nothing seems to move. The cars are stuck here for hours. I don’t understand why the administration cannot do anything to ease our problems.”

 

The administrative officials were, however, on their toes. Their motive though was not to ease our troubles but to ensure that the political leaders did not face any problems. They put up traffic diversions, leading to bottlenecks and more snarls.

Amit Kumar Mishra, a student, said: “It took me nearly an hour-and-a-half to cross the stretch between Income Tax roundabout and Dakbungalow roundabout. It usually takes 10 minutes.”

Along with the regular commuters, schoolchildren, too, had to face the heat of the political marches, as a number of schoolbuses got stuck in traffic snarls. Students, who would have liked to return home fast after a long day at school, had no other option but to sit out the snarls in the heat.

Shubham, a student of St Karen’s High School, said: “My friends wanted to drink water as it was very hot. But we could do nothing, and had to wait for hours before the snarl cleared.”

School authorities also found themselves in an unenviable position. Radiant International School vice-principal Radhika K. said: “We sent text messages to the parents of the students who were stuck in traffic snarls.”

Another school principal, on the condition of anonymity, said: “The district administration should have taken some measures to manage the traffic. It is shameful that students have to suffer like this.”

Parents, too, were outraged at the inconvenience faced by their wards. “It was a pathetic condition. Does the administration expect us to accompany our children every time there is a rally in the city?” said Anil Kumar, a parent.

To add insult to injury, the RJD blocked Exhibition Road to stage a protest. As a result the entire stretch of the thoroughfare and another street leading to Frazer Road were choked. The RJD members continued to stage the demonstration despite requests from policemen to clear the road.

Ankit, a commuter, said: “These people just don’t listen to anyone. So, people like us have to suffer.”