21 July,2010 08:22 AM IST | | Surender Sharma
Delhi chief minister creates yet another traffic mess at a busy intersection
It's been more than ten years since Sheila Dikshit has been in the drivers' seat but it seems she is yet to get a sense of Delhi traffic.
Braking news: Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit's visit to Naraina T-point
Ring Road for inauguration of a flyover on Tuesday turned the stretch into
a traffic nightmare for commuters. Pic/mid day
The chief minister, after creating traffic jam history on the Lajpat Rai Marg two weeks ago, was back in business on Tuesday.
Flanked by her trusted general Raj Kumar Chauhan, the septuagenarian politician was on an extended inauguration spree in the wake of the Commonwealth Games. But she was definitely in the wrong place at the wrong time. It took huge traffic chaos for her to realise her mistake. But by then it was too late.
The chief minister had gone to the Naraina T-point in west Delhi for inaugurating a newly-constructed flyover at around 6:30 pm. However, she forgot that it was rush hour on the Ring Road and her presence might prove counter-productive to the serpentine queues of vehicles that ply on the stretch.
As soon as she reached the venue local BJP workers reached there and started shouting slogans, adding to her woes.
The city had received 28.2mm rain by 5:30pm and news channels have been blaring about traffic jams but the chief minister was out to repeat the mistake she committed on July 7 when she herself was caught in the rush of her own making for at least two hours.
The commuters were shocked at the chief minister's decision to choose such a wrong time for inaugurating the flyover, which was aimed at smoothening of traffic flow between west and south Delhi.
The BJP workers were also unrepentant for choosing such a time to protest.
"The residents of the area were protesting against the water shortage in the area, which is entirely due to mismanagement of the state government. The chief minister could have chosen a better time for the inauguration," Delhi BJP chief Vijender Gupta told MiD DAY.
The traffic remained affected for several hours in and around the Naraina area the entire evening. Met by an unexpected protest, the chief minister beat a hasty retreat from the venue within 15 minutes of her reaching there.
Local Congress MLA Ramakant Goswami managed traffic to pave the way for the chief minister's convoy among the agitating BJP workers and the traffic snarl. Though Dikshit's convoy had an easy escape, PWD minister Chauhan remain stranded for about half an hour before the police intervened.
It seems the chief minister is yet to hear about the Delhi Traffic Police SMS update service. It could prove handy for her to manage her schedule on the road better.
Tuesday logjam
Tilak Nagar, Moti Bagh, Malviya Nagar, ITO, Model Town, Ashram, Moolchand, Mori Gate, Rajouri Garden, Tilak Bridge
"I am not an astrologer to predict whether there will be rains during the Games or not."
This is how Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit responded on Tuesday when reporters asked her whether the city government was prepared to tackle the eventualities if it rained during the Commonwealth Games in October.
| CMu00a0in a jam |
| Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit had to taste the bitter pill of Delhi traffic on July 7 while going to inaugurate four foot over bridges. She started from Delhi Secretariat at around 5:30 pm by which time the traffic in and around New Delhi district peaks. The day also witnessed sporadic rain causing water logging in various areas that worsened the traffic situation. The first destination, Pragati Maidan, did not pose any problem as it just a stone's throw away from the chief minister's office. After announcing the foot over bridge open, she left for the next point, Barapulla through Mathura Road. The traffic was pretty heavy but she was able to reach the venue negotiating the usual rush. But the real trouble started when she left for Saket. The traffic on Lala Lajpat Rai Path, beyond the Oberoi flyover was simply unmoved by the fact that 'head of the state' had joined it. Dikshit, along with close aide Raj Kumar Chauhan, remain stranded in bumper-to-bumper traffic due to water logging on the road. After waiting for about two hours, the chief minister decided at around 7 pm that she would not be able to make it and took a u-turn to reach Moti Bagh, the next destination. |
