Karva Chauth shopping frenzy brings traffic to standstill in major markets

Major markets across the city on Thursday witnessed a massive rush of shoppers, who were out buying essentials for tomorrow’s celebrations of Karva Chauth. The mad rush resulted in slow vehicular movement and traffic snarls throughout the day.

Stalls selling mathis, bangles, henna and decorative thalis were seen in almost all busy markets, including BRS Nagar, Sarabha Nagar, Chaura Bazar, Ghumar Mandi and Dandi Swami Road. Women, in large numbers were seen making last-minute purchases, while vehicles were parked in a haphazard manner, adding to the congestion.

Even traffic police officials on duty admitted that controlling the movement of vehicles during the festive rush was a tough task. “Women who have applied henna on their hands are accompanied by drivers or some relatives, who often wait for them in their cars, increasing the traffic load. We are regulating movement, but some inconvenience is inevitable,” said a traffic cop at Ghumar Mandi.

Shopkeepers, too, attributed the chaos to encroachments and poor parking discipline. “Many people park their vehicles properly, but others leave their vehicles on the main road. With vendors putting up temporary stalls on roads meant for vehicles, space for parking has reduced drastically. Due to the heavy rush and a lack of parking, traffic moves at a snail’s pace,” said Roshan Lal, a shopkeeper at Dandi Swami Chowk.

Meanwhile, markets continued to remain packed with shoppers till late in the evening as festive fervour gripped the city.