Lucknow: Traffic chaos ensued in multiple areas of Lucknow on Monday evening as New Year’s revellers congested streets and junctions. Mahanagar, Hazratganj, Gomti Nagar, the stretch from KGMU Crossing to Parivartan Chowk, and IT Crossing experienced heavy traffic, causing inconvenience for commuters and even impeding ambulances. Traffic personnel struggled to manage the overwhelming traffic load.
“The road from Riverbank Colony to CDRI was chock-a-block. No cops were seen regulating traffic. It took us two hours to reach the house of a relative in Kaiserbagh, a route which otherwise takes us 20 minutes,” said Rajat Rastogi, who was commuting from Saadatganj to Kaiserbagh.
Priya Mukherjee, a resident of Gomti Nagar, described the situation from Dayal Paradise Crossing to JN Mishra Park, stating, “Vehicles were parked on both sides of the road. No arrangements were made by police or administration.”
Rana Pratap Marg, where many celebrated the New Year at Moti Mahal, also faced congestion. “Cops had not planned any strategy to counter the jam here,” said Rohit Roshan, a Kaiserbagh resident.
Joint Commissioner of Police (JCP)-Law and Order Upendra Agarwal identified people parking vehicles on roads while visiting temples like Mankameshwar, Hanuman Setu, and Khatushyam as a major cause of traffic snarls in the city.