Shimla advocates' road blockade triggers congestion, commuters left stranded

HUndreds of commuters faced wicked incommodiousness in Shimla on tues after a route block off by advocates over an entry-related issue triggered massive traffic congestion across key parts of the city, leaving residents, students and motorists stranded for hours.The protest, which led to the disruption of vehicular movement near Chhota Shimla and adjoining areas, coincided with the ongoing peak tourist season, further aggravating congestion in the hill town already grappling with increasing traffic pressure.Also Read| Advocates protest permit rules for sealed roads in Shimla; police register caseSpeaking to ANI, resident Sonal Sharma said the traffic jam had significantly affected daily commuters."I am standing at the toll area and need to reach Sanjauli, which is only about four kilometres from here. I came to know that advocates have gone on strike in Chhota Shimla over some challan-related issues. Such situations are quite common in Shimla because protests are often held near the Secretariat," she said.Sharma said the ongoing tourist season had added to the traffic burden."It is peak summer season, and there are a lot of tourists. Traffic gets diverted, buses get delayed and we have been waiting for nearly 10 to 15 minutes for a bus. Congestion is a major problem for Shimla because the city was designed for a limited population, but both population and tourism have expanded rapidly," she told ANI.School taxi driver Amit Kumar expressed concern over the plight of children stranded in vehicles due to the traffic blockade."School got over at 1:20 pm, and our vehicle has been stuck since around 1:30 pm. There are 22 children in the vehicle and their parents are constantly calling and asking when they will reach home. At this hour many children would normally have reached home already," he said.Kumar urged the administration to ensure that school vehicles are not affected during such protests."The administration should think about this. At least school vehicles carrying children should not be stopped in such situations," he added.Also Read| KK Pant gets additional charge as Himachal Pradesh chief secretaryAnother local resident, Kajal, said commuters were facing immense hardship due to the disruption."We are facing a lot of problems because of the traffic jam. We had to change buses and travel through different routes, but still could not find proper transport. Now I am walking with my child because of the traffic situation," she told ANI.She attributed the congestion to the advocates' strike and said the disruption had made travel extremely difficult for residents. The traffic snarls led to long queues of vehicles on several roads, causing delays for office-goers, students and tourists. Authorities were making efforts to regulate traffic and clear congestion in affected areas.