A rally passes through Master Canteen Square in Bhubaneswar. Picture by Ashwinee Pati

Bhubaneswar, Aug. 26: Rabi Ranjan Sahu, 25, a private company employee, had to make at least five rounds of the Tarini temple at Master Canteen Square to reach his office today. As rallies clogged the city, poor traffic management made several commuters share Sahu’s fate.

“I could not make out where to go as policemen deployed at different places kept on diverting vehicles. They were not bothered about whether the roads towards which they were diverting traffic were clear or not,” said Sahu, who was going from Vani Vihar to Rajmahal Square.

Several groups of people were seen holding rallies on the Janpath stretch between Ram Mandir Square and Master Canteen Square. The road from the railway station to Mahatma Gandhi Marg was also filled with protesters. Several of them also reached the Mahatma Gandhi Marg from the Ram Mandir side.

Though the protesters were initially occupied the left lane on Janpath and allowed vehicles to use the right lane, they almost blocked the road near the Master Canteen Square, forcing many vehicles to remain stranded there.

Even a rally by the All India Democratic Women’s Association on the road connecting Janpath to Sachivalaya Marg caused inconvenienced commuters.

Rallies by pharmacists and green card holders, most of whom were women, choked the roads. The green card holders held a rally between Mahatma Gandhi Marg and Ram Mandir.

It becomes difficult for commuters to drive on Janpath if Master Canteen Square remains blocked.

“Traffic policemen were trying hard to make roads for vehicles, but because of lack of clear instructions, they were diverting vehicles without showing which road to take,” said Deepak Prakash, a trader at Ashok Nagar, who had to take a turn near Swosti Hotel towards Unit-III to cover more than two kilometres to reach his shop, which was hardly 200 metres from where he was diverted.

A policeman, who was on duty in front of Swosti Hotel towards the service road behind Tarini temple, said he had been instructed to divert vehicles as there was a blockade at Master Canteen Square. But when these vehicles were again diverted from Congress Bhavan Square, they kept on circling around the temple. When asked about this, the policeman said where these vehicles would go was not his concern.

“I am diverting the vehicles, they should make their way through Unit-III and reach Sachivalaya Marg. From there, they can go to their destinations,” said the policeman.

A senior police officer said the diversions were made for smooth vehicular movement during rallies.

“As the Mahatma Gandhi Marg is a very small place to hold large group of protesters, big rallies are sometimes permitted on other roads. This problem will not be there as the Assembly session end tomorrow,” said a senior police officer.