Harrowing time for commuters, others

Kuldeep Chauhan

Tribune News Service

Shimla, March 26

Lawyers and traders, including senior residents living in the areas that fall in the restricted and sealed routes in the city, opposed the banning of private and government vehicles after the police turned the entire area into a virtual “khakhi garrison”.

Even government vehicles were not allowed on sealed and restricted routes in the city. Traffic policemen stopped the vehicle of Vidhan Sabha Speaker BB Butail near the AG office and quizzed the driver, revealed sources.

The High Court has only exempted the vehicles of the Chief Minister, Governor, the Chief justice of High court and the vehicles attached to the high court judges and other public services utilities from the ban on the sealed routes in the city.

The restricted and sealed roads — Marina hotel-Chhota Shimla, Ramchandar-Navbahar-Ritz- Jhakhoo, Victory Tunnel- DC Office, Railway board building-CTO road, Sanjauli-IGMC-Lakkar Bazaar, Shimla club- Lift and Titla Hotel-Five Benches road in Jhakhoo — were kept out of bounds for residents, including media persons, whose offices are located in the city centre around The Mall.

Even permit holders residing in the restricted and sealed areas were not allowed.

Lawyers and traders opposed the restriction imposed by the police as it created a lot of problems for them.

The lawyers in the district courts complex abstained from work for the second day today in protest against the traffic restriction. “We demand that the lawyers should be allowed through the Kennedy House on the Chaura Maidan road to judicial complex Chhakkar”, the lawyers said.

The police officials said they were implementing the High Court order which had directed the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police to implement the order in letter and spirit. The police officials said they would be liable for penal action if the order was not implemented.