Sunday, 31 March 2024 | PNS | DEHRADUN
The traffic in Dehradun worsened with the start of Jhanda Mela due to the route diversions implemented for the event. The police had issued a public advisory and redirected routes to mitigate the traffic congestion in the city during the commencement of the Jhanda Mela. The stretch from Saharanpur Chowk to Darbar Sahib was designated as a no-vehicle zone for the general public. The diversions significantly impacted areas including Tilak Road, Kanwali Road, Bindal, Hanuman Chowk and other connected areas, leading to inconvenience for the public.
The city roads experienced heavy traffic on Saturday due to the route diversions and the throngs attending the fair.
A local, Narendra Sharma expressed his frustration over the traffic congestion. He said that the authorities always divert the routes to prevent traffic congestion but the situation always worsens. For half an hour, he was stuck in traffic near Patelnagar. Apart from this, barricades and a large number of devotees also contributed to the traffic congestion, causing him to reach his destination late, Sharma said.
“I was stuck in traffic for more than half an hour near Kanwali Road. Normally, it takes me 15 minutes to reach my office. Despite the authorities implementing a route diversion plan, commuters still faced heavy traffic congestion. The police should come up with a more effective plan to manage the traffic during the Jhanda Mela event every year,” Meghna Rathore said.
Sarthak Jain expressed concern about the traffic jam on Saturday. He opined that the authorities are doing their best to ensure smooth traffic flow during the Jhanda Mela. However, devotees should also cooperate by walking on the side of the road or staying in the designated areas of the Jhanda Mela. Currently, large numbers of devotees wandering on the city roads are causing inconvenience to commuters, he said.
