Commuters fume as roads remain closed for second day

A day after the Qaumi Insaaf Morcha protest on the Mohali-Chandigarh border caused chaos, major roads connecting the two cities remained barricaded even today. Commuters once again faced the brunt, being forced to take detours to reach their destinations.

Chandigarh Police barricaded the dividing road of Sector 51-52 for the entirety of the day. The Sector 52-53 road too remained inaccessible for the public from 12 pm to 1.30 pm as cops anticipated another attempt by protesters, who stay put at their tents at the YPS Chowk, to enter the city.

As a result, the inner roads in Sector 52, Sector 53 remained choked with heavy traffic as buses, trucks and tractors jostled for space with cars and two-wheelers. Similarly, the road from Mohali to Chandigarh was also barricaded on the other side near YPS Chowk.

Hassled commuters flayed the protesters and police alike for turning their daily commute into a nightmare.

“Police booked around 30 protesters last year on February 8 but there was no further action. The same people are blocking the roads again. What is Chandigarh doing? Erecting barricades in the common man’s path using their own money,” lamented Rajeshwar Das, a Sector-52 resident.

On Tuesday, a group of around 20 people, including women with kids in their arms, were seen walking on the choked road from Phase-3B2 to Mansa Devi. They rued being unable to find the bus to Sector 43 amid the chaos.

“The Chief Minister, Prime Minister, Governor and the police, they are all simply enjoying being in power. No one wants to take actual responsibility,” said Rukmini Devi, a Phase-3B2 resident, hailing from Uttarakhand.

When questioned, the cops neat Sector 52 said they had received no information about the reopening of roads till 2 pm.

Sources privy to the developments said police personnel had been assembled in the morning as a precautionary measure. Heavy police force, meanwhile, also continued to kept vigil near the YPS Chowk.

In an exception, the Jail Road in Sector 51 remained open for the traffic.