Vehicular traffic in suburbs and on highways was disrupted for the better half of Thursday as supporters of JVM enforced a statewide “chakka jam” in protest against last month’s arrest of the party’s Poreyahat MLA Pradip Yadav. While city transport and movement of buses between Ranchi and Jamshedpur on NH-33 remained largely unaffected, flow of heavy vehicles between the steel city and Ghatshila was hit for over five hours from 6.30am as party workers burnt tyres at various points. The MLA was arrested from Godda on April 22 while he was on a hunger strike against alleged procedural gaffes in the acquisition of land for the proposed 1,600MW power plant being promoted by the Adani Group. Here's how his followers stepped up the ante for his release

TROUBLE POCKETS

JVM leaders and workers targeted both state and national highways. Party general secretary Rajiv Ranjan Mishra led a demonstration on NH 33 in Namkum, on the outskirts of the capital. Former Mandar MLA Bandhu Tirkey took over Kanke in suburban Ranchi. At Albert Ekka Chowk in the city, state president of JVM women’s cell Sobha Yadav was taken into preventive custody. And, on Ranchi-Lohardaga road, party leader Uttam Yadav successfully staged a blockade. Police foiled a similar attempt on Ranchi-Khunti road near Tupudana. JVM workers were also arrested at ITI bus stand

COMMUTER GRIPES

More than 800 long-distance buses from Ranchi’s Khadgarha and ITI terminuses to other districts and states didn’t ply from morning to noon.

Chhattisgarh-based engineer Sriram, who reached ITI bus stand in the morning, had to share an SUV for a premium to reach his final destination Chandwa in Latehar. “A bus ride would have cost me Rs 120, but I paid Rs 400 to go to Chandwa because I could not ditch the assignment I have come for,” he said.

Saket Singh, bound for Khunti, also missed the bus at Birsa terminus in Khadgarha. “I hired an auto till Khunti Road and then hopped onto a van,” he said.

Kishore Mantri, secretary of Ranchi Bus Owner’s Association, said their fleet hit the streets only after JVM protests and blockades eased around 1.30pm. “But, the number of passengers was very less,” he added.

Within the capital and the steel city, traffic remained sparse, but mostly because of the stifling weather. Train services and flights remained unaffected

COAL TRADE HIT

Coal transportation at CCL’s Khelari mines, 70km from Ranchi district headquarters, was hit for five hours. Mobility resumed after JVM supporters were taken into custody.