New Delhi
oi-Swastika Sruti
Amid the growing unrest of the national capital’s roads due to the protest against the Election Commissioner of India – Gyanesh Kumar, it is being reported that over 5,000 passengers have missed their trains due to traffic jams in Delhi on Thursday.
Protests by INDIA bloc leaders against Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar in central Delhi on Thursday resulted in significant traffic jams, causing over 5,000 passengers to miss their trains at New Delhi Railway Station.
Over 5,000 passengers missed their trains on Thursday due to traffic jams in central Delhi as they failed to reach New Delhi Railway Station on time, railway officials reported.
The chaos happened on the backdrop of third day of protests by leaders of INDIA bloc against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Opposition parliamentarians, including Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Mallikarjun Kharge, traveled in buses to Rajghat as part of their protest.
The traffic jams caused by the movement of the convoy, along with traffic barriers imposed by the police, led to disruption of many important routes to the railway station. It was reported that those who traveled on Dibrugarh Rajdhani, Mumbai Rajdhani, Vande Bharat train and some other local trains, were among those affected.
Minto Bridge Route Affected, Traffic Hit For Hours
Among the several major routes that faced disruptions was Minto Bridge, which links Connaught Place with New Delhi Railway Station.
The route faced restrictions as the Opposition convoy headed to Rajghat.
It caused traffic problems for about three hours, with passengers unable to make it to the railway station owing to heavy luggage.
Several MPs were part of the Opposition convoy, and according to India Today, nearly 300 members of parliament were said to be involved, with heavy police presence, barricades, and traffic diversion being witnessed on the route.
These traffic restrictions had more impact on the passengers heading to the railway stations since Minto Bridge is a critical road link to New Delhi Railway Station.
There were even instances of cancellation of IRCTC group bookings since passengers could not make it to the station on time.
Rahul Gandhi, Kharge And Priyanka Gandhi Lead Protest
The protest was led by senior INDIA bloc leaders, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
The leaders first met for lunch in Connaught Place before travelling towards Rajghat. Their protest is centred on their demand for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
The Opposition has alleged irregularities in the electoral process and has accused the Election Commission of acting in favour of the government. These are political allegations and have been rejected by the Election Commission and the BJP.
After leaving Connaught Place, the leaders boarded buses and moved towards Rajghat. Police arrangements were strengthened along the route, with barricades and traffic diversions put in place.
Opposition Leaders Offer Prayers At Rajghat
After reaching Rajghat, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, Kharge and other Opposition leaders offered prayers at Mahatma Gandhi’s memorial.
The leaders also paid floral tributes before continuing their protest. They said they would continue their agitation until their demand for Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation is addressed.
The Opposition has not announced a detailed plan for ending the protest and is expected to continue its programme on Friday.
Third Day Of Opposition Protests
Thursday’s protest was the latest in a series of demonstrations by the INDIA bloc.
On Tuesday, Rahul Gandhi held an around eight-hour sit-in at the Akashvani Bhawan complex.
On Wednesday, Opposition leaders attempted to proceed towards Jantar Mantar but were stopped by police near a roundabout close to the Shangri-La hotel. The leaders were later removed from the spot and detained.
Thursday’s programme was different in that the Opposition leaders travelled together in buses towards Rajghat, leading to fresh security arrangements and traffic restrictions in central Delhi.
Railway Passengers Bear The Impact
While the political protest was focused on the Election Commission, the resulting road restrictions had a direct impact on ordinary commuters.
Passengers travelling to New Delhi Railway Station had to deal with traffic jams and diverted routes during the afternoon. For those with fixed train departure times, even a delay of 20-30 minutes can mean missing the train altogether.
The reported disruption highlights the difficulty of reaching one of Delhi’s busiest railway stations when major roads around Connaught Place, Minto Bridge and central Delhi are restricted.
