BJP national president Nitin Gadkari being garlanded by state leaders at Bhrastachar Hatao rally in Bhubaneswar. Picture by Sanjib Mukherjee

Bhubaneswar, Jan. 17: Chandrasekhar Samal, a government employee, was lucky to escape with minor injuries after being hit by a city bus near the Master Canteen Square in the traffic chaos caused by the Bhartiya Janata Party’s Bhrashtachar Hatao rally here today.

“I was coming from Raj Mahal Square to receive my brother-in-law at the railway station. The rallyists completely blocked one side of the road. In a hurry, I took a sharp turn and was hit by a bus. Thankfully, I got away with minor injuries,” said Samal.

Many others went through a harrowing time. It took nearly an hour for Karishma Behera (21), a student, who commutes daily from Pipli to Bhubaneswar for tuition, to reach Kalpana Square from Rupali Square.

“Normally, it takes about 20 minutes to cover 8km by autorickshaw, but the traffic jam today tested my patience. I have to catch a bus to Pipli from here. It will be dark by the time I reach home,” she said glumly.

Hundreds of motorists and bikers had to bear the brunt of BJP’s rally in the capital city today which resulted in major traffic snarls on several busy roads. Around 50,000 rallyists, who had come from all parts of the state, arrived at venue in Lower PMG, in processions that emerged from eight different points.

Instead of rerouting traffic, police “regulated” vehicular movement but there was no denying the inconvenience to the commuters.

The areas worst affected by the traffic problems caused by the rally included Master Canteen, Ram Mandir, Rupali Square, Vanivihar, Kalpana area and Power House Square. Many suffered due to jams at various points.

Nearly 3,500 students and teachers of Capital High School, Kendriya Vidyalaya-I, Unit-I High School, St. Joseph High School, Capital Girls’ High School, Unit-II primary school and Textbook Press High School (on the Janpath road stretch) had a traumatic experience even as normal traffic was thrown out of gear.

“I have been waiting for an autorickshaw for more than half an hour now. However, all the rickshaws passing through this way are filled with rallyists,” said Sasmita Rout, a teacher.

“The rallyists have covered two-thirds of the road. There is just one traffic policeman,” said Mamata Mohapatra, a private firm employee.

Police sources said they had no information about the group coming from Sishu Bhavan Square: “As soon as we received information about the rallyists coming through that stretch, we immediately sent some of our men to manage traffic.”

A senior official said several policemen, including those of the Orissa Special Armed Police and Police Control Room (PCR), vans were deployed to take care of the inconvenience arising due to traffic congestion. “We tried our best to park the vehicles (used for plying the rallyists) at different points but the rally posed a real threat to the entire traffic system,” said the officer. DSP Pandava Mohanty of the railway police said: “The rallyists have come from different districts by local trains. Many passengers who had paid for their tickets could not get a seat in the crowded compartments.”