Fuel stir brings roadblocks, traffic snarls
The city witnessed traffic snarls and chaos on Monday as the BJP, the Janata Dal (U) and the Left parties hit the streets with Bharat Bandh call in protest against price rise of petroleum products. Several leaders courted arrest and thousands of others were detained at various places. A large number of people found themselves stranded for well over a couple of hours, even as the police maintained a vigil in large numbers.
In the Khan market, some of the shops were allegedly forcibly closed down by the activists. In Connaught Place too, most of the shops remained closed. There was subdued activity in markets like Lajpat Nagar and Sarojini Nagar, besides South Extension, which remain closed on Monday as routine. Among the leaders who courted arrest were national BJP chief Nitin Gadkari, JD(U) president Sharad Yadav and senior BJP leader Rajnath Singh. They were detained at Chandni Chowk where they addressed the gatherings. In Addition, the police detained 4,380 protesters. out of these, more than 3,000 were detained in north Delhi, while 400 were detained from ITO.
While the movement in the city was restricted and office attendance was less than normal, the effect was more visible in the areas considered BJP stronghold. These included Chandni Chowk, hub of the protests, Greater, Uttam Nagar, Janakpuri and Moti Nagar. Traffic was also blocked at Anand Vihar ISBT, Laxmi Nagar and other east Delhi areas, besides Delhi-Faridabad Road, Mehrauli-Gurgaon Road and Badarpur border were also blocked. In Badarpur area, an ambulance remained stuck in the jam for quite some time before the police could manage to extricate it out of the mess. In various hospitals, there were 20 to 40 per cent less patients as they did not venture out fearing problems on the road.
The tyres of more than 50 DTC and Blueline buses were deflated at various places during the bandh call. Near Dabri Mor in west Delhi, the activists deflated tyres of nearly 25 buses and also attempted setting one of them afire.
At ITO, Left parties, led by veteran leaders D. Raja and A.B. Bardhan, blocked traffic for a few hours. Incidentally, the blockades at most places ended after the leaders courted arrest.
Metro services were affected at Rajiv Chowk, Karol Bagh and Patel Nagar Metro stations when activists managed to enter the station premises.
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