Kolkata Gripped by Traffic Chaos as Election Nominations Paralyze City
Commuters across Kolkata faced extensive delays on the first working day of the week, as their future representatives filed nominations for the upcoming assembly election. The city's traffic system was thrown into disarray, with long stretches of roads becoming impassable due to political activities and associated congestion.
Worst-Hit Areas and Traffic Nightmares
The most severely affected corridors included regions around Alipore, Kalighat, and Hazra, extending southward to Chetla and Tollygunge Phanri. In the southwest, Majerhat to Ekbalpore saw significant bottlenecks, while central and northern parts like MG Road-Hatibagan and Strand Road also experienced major disruptions. However, the Chetla-Alipore-Kalighat-Hazra stretch bore the maximum brunt of the chaos.
Police closures on Dr S Radhakrishnan Road at the Hazra crossing, leading to Judges Court Road, exacerbated the situation. Parked vehicles belonging to police and party workers on both sides of SP Mukherjee Road further reduced road space, creating a perfect storm for gridlock. A mere 400-metre segment from the Kalighat tram depot to Asutosh College took over 30 minutes to traverse, highlighting the severity of the congestion.
Commuters Share Their Ordeal
Sambit Sarkar, a bank employee traveling from Tollygunge, described the scene: "There were at least 15 small matadors near Basusree Cinema. Numerous BJP supporters occupied the area, cutting the road width in half. On the opposite side, a large police presence with their vehicles consumed additional space. Behind them, Trinamool supporters with multiple vehicles blocked a significant portion of the road. I witnessed at least three school vehicles trapped in the jam amid humid conditions between 11:15 am and nearly noon."
Chhanda Banerjee, stuck in a cab near Bhawani Bhawan with her daughter visiting from Ireland, noted that the traffic jams coincided with Metro disruptions, amplifying the chaos. She emphasized, "Ideally, the number of supporters accompanying a candidate needs to be restricted to prevent such situations."
Extended Delays Across the City
Commuters entering the city via Alipore faced over 30-minute delays to cross the 1-kilometre stretch from Majerhat to Ekbalpore. From morning through much of the afternoon, Diamond Harbour Road—from Behala Pathakpara in the south to Kidderpore in the north—was choked with bumper-to-bumper traffic, though traffic personnel managed to maintain some flow.
Anil Sharma, an app cab driver, reported taking more than 40 minutes to navigate the 2-kilometre distance between Taratala and Mominpore, underscoring the widespread impact on daily travel and productivity.
This episode highlights the challenges of balancing political processes with urban mobility, as Kolkata's residents bear the brunt of election-related disruptions.
