Daily commuters harassed as police divert traffic owing to teachers’ protest
Kolkata: At a time when the teachers claiming themselves untainted are protesting in front of the SSC office in Salt Lake blocking the main carriageway between Sector V and Karunamoyee, police diverted the traffic from other adjacent feeder roads which resulted in tremendous harassment for the daily commuters.
The protestors have completely blocked the Karunamoyee-bound road from Sector V for their protest movement. As a huge volume of traffic everyday comes from Sector V and goes to different parts of north Kolkata and suburban areas, cops had to divert the vehicles along the road beside the canal.
However, the problem has increased more as the non-teaching staff who have become jobless on the order of the Supreme Court are demonstrating at the Karunamoyee crossing, blocking all the roads leading to the main bus terminus and a vital point of Salt Lake. The buses which avail the route via tank number 8, Baisakhi towards Ultadanga along the first avenue are taking possible alternative routes by skipping many stops. As a result, residents of some parts in the Salt Lake are currently facing trouble due lack of transport. However, for them auto is the only method of public transport as of now. This apart, the vehicles availing comparatively narrow roads have created a major traffic snarl since the protest movement started.
Also, it has increased the chance of accidents inside the blocks as many vehicles are taking shortcuts through the areas.
This apart, the residents around the SSC office and Karunamoyee are also facing trouble using their own vehicles as their entry and exit points have been compromised. Several roads leading inside the blocks have been made for one-way traffic owing to the situation.
S Chakraborty, a resident of EE block, said: “We are facing immense trouble while commuting. A five or ten minute journey is now taking almost 40 minutes. We do not know the exact diversion map so that our move can be
planned accordingly.”
