A spectacular Navy Day operational demonstration at Shanghumugham Beach in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday evening was tragically marred by severe traffic mismanagement, leaving hundreds of attendees stranded and frustrated for hours.
Post-Event Gridlock Paralyzes Key Roads
The event, which concluded around 7:30 PM, immediately triggered a massive traffic collapse. As VIPs departed, the Airport-Chackai Road and Shanghumugham Junction became completely gridlocked. The congestion persisted for a grueling two hours, transforming the area into a chaotic snarl of vehicles and a sea of stranded people, including many women and children.
Abandoned Public and Absent Police
Eyewitnesses reported that a significant number of police personnel deployed for traffic control left the scene shortly after the VIPs made their exit. This left only a handful of officers present, who were powerless to manage the escalating chaos. Many attendees who had used KSRTC shuttle buses from distant parking spots found themselves waiting indefinitely on crowded roads for their return transport.
Faced with no clear resolution, numerous people were forced to abandon their wait and walk the entire distance from Shanghumugham Beach to Chackai in hopes of finding alternative transportation. In several areas, local residents had to step in voluntarily to direct traffic, filling the void left by the absent authorities.
Public Fury Erupts on Social Media
The public's frustration quickly spilled onto social media platforms, where many vented their anger over the complete breakdown of planning. A common sentiment expressed was a reluctance to attend such events in the future if basic amenities like orderly dispersal are not guaranteed.
One attendee, Kavya Menon, shared her ordeal, stating, "I had to walk all the way to Chackai to find a vehicle to get back home. The traffic towards the city was also slow and was getting blocked at every turn." Her experience echoed that of countless others who spent what should have been a celebratory evening navigating an exhausting and unsafe return journey.
The incident has raised serious questions about the coordination between event organizers and local law enforcement for large public gatherings in the city, highlighting a stark contrast between a brilliantly executed military demonstration and a disastrously managed civilian exit.
