Kolkata: On Thursday, commuters faced a
harrowing time in Kolkata, following the Martyr’s Day rally in the heart of the
city in Esplanade.
As lakhs of people marched towards
Victoria House to observe Martyr’s Day, major thoroughfares in the city were
thrown out of gear. Every year on July 21, the Trinamool Congress observes
Martyr’s Day and a public rally is organized in front of Victoria House to
commemorate the 1993 Kolkata police firing. As many as 13 people were shot by
police in the incident, during a rally organized by the West Bengal Youth
Congress under the leadership of now Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata
Banerjee. They were demanding Voter’s Identity Cards to be made the sole
required document for exercising one’s franchise.
On Thursday, office and school goers faced a tough time, as
most buses remained off the streets, after being hired by the political party
to ferry party supporters from faraway districts. Few taxis and radio cabs
plied on the roads fearing that they would get stuck in heavy traffic. While
extra metro rakes were pressed into service, daily passengers found it
difficult to travel, as rakes remained overcrowded with rally participants.
At certain intersections, ambulances were also stuck in a
traffic jam and police had to find a way to let them pass.
Major arterial roads like Central Avenue connecting
Esplanade to Red Road in the south remained clogged for more than five hours.
Railway stations — Sealdah, Howrah and Kolkata saw trains
after trains ferry Trinamool Congress supporters to the city. Other passengers
who arrived in the city had to either book radio cabs or private cabs, as few
taxis lined up at taxi bays.
Meanwhile, Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee said
that though some people are inconvenienced, since the day is observed on July
21, she cannot alter the day of the rally.
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