Traffic comes to a halt amid Saffron brigade's Shivaji celebrations

Hyderabad: The unplanned processions of leaders and members of the BJP, VHP, Shiv Sena and the RSS on the occasion of the 388th birth anniversary of Chhatrapati Shivaji caused massive traffic jams in the city on Monday.

Members of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Maratha Navyuvak Mandal took out the Vishal Shobha Yatra, which had about 2,000 participants, at 1 pm on Monday. The route from Necklace Road to the Telugu Talli Flyover, along which there were diversions, was completely choked at some points in the morning. Bumper-to-bumper traffic was witnessed at around 2 pm near the High Court.

The movement of traffic was slow from the Shivaji statue, Shivaji Pul, Afzal Gunj, the Central Library, the fruit market, and OGH towards SA Bazaar. The Hyderabad traffic police provided regular traffic updates. They also used their accounts on social networking sites to suggest alternate routes in light of the unplanned processions.

Traffic was moving at a snail’s pace near Purana Pul X Road, Gandhi Statue, Sitla Matha Temple, Jumerath Bazaar, Oontwadi, Chudi Bazaar, Begum Bazaar Chatri, Kamal Khan Dewdi, Rangeen Taleem Y. Junction, Bartan Bazaar, SA Bazaar Mosque, Mukhtiar Gunj, Mahaboob Gunj, Ashok Bazaar, and the Bade Miyan Petrol Pump towards Shivaji Park in the afternoon.

Senior officials said that the traffic jam was caused due to Shivaji Jayanti celebrations in the city.