Cyclothon puts CP traffic in knots
The international cycling event in Connaught Place, which was being seen as a test to see the preparedness of the British-era business centre for the Commonwealth Games, on Sunday saw people unwittingly get caught in traffic jams. The Delhi police conceded that there were some problems due to the last minute changes in the route for the event.
Most commuters were caught unawares. “I had to go to Karol Bagh for shopping and as CP is shut on Sunday, I thought that it would take me little time to reach Karol Bagh by car. But, I got stuck on Barakhamba Road and it took me more than an hour to get out of CP,” said Sunil Kumar, a chartered accountant living in Laxminagar. Many like him had not expected jams in Connaught Place on a Sunday.
Commuters who got off at Rajiv Chowk Metro Station, had to get back in and take a train to some other station as there were no autorickshaws in sight with certain roads around CP being closed.
A few who were present refused commuters point blank saying that they did not want to get caught in a jam.
Even a few participants were not happy about the manner in which they were handled.
One of the participants, Mandeep, claimed that he and few others were yet to finish the entire lap when they were abruptly stopped because some international participants had already begun their race.
As per traffic advisory issued by the Delhi traffic police on Saturday, the event, BSA International Hercules Cyclothon involving amateurs, corporate and some professional participants, had to start from Parliament Street. It was then supposed to move towards outer circle, inner circle (on Janpath), Barakhamba Road, outer circle, Parliament Street, Red Cross Road, Rajendra Prasad Road, Janpath, Rajpath up till Vijay Chowk and then take a U-turn to reach Parliament Street retracing the same route. It was decided to keep the roads closed from 5.30 am to 1.30 pm.
Delhi police spokesperson Rajan Bhagat said that the traffic police got very little time to publicise the diversions as the route was finalised very late on Saturday. “All the future events, however, will be properly planned and we will be able to advertise in advance. Such problems will not recur,” said Mr Bhagat.
In the background of the chaos lies the fact that earlier the CP’s outer and inner circles were to be used for the cycling event. However, with both the circles being dug up due to various Commonwealth Games-related works, they could not be made ready for the event, following which the final route had to be altered.
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