Chandigarh came to a grinding halt on Friday as a farmers’ protest march caused massive traffic chaos across the city. Commuters were left stranded in hours-long jams as key roads became impassable.
Farmers’ March from Sector 34 to Matka Chowk
According to The Tribune, more than 100 buses, tractor-trolleys, and other vehicles carrying farmers arrived in the city. The protesters marched from Sector 34 to Matka Chowk, demanding a reduction in petrol and diesel prices. The march led to severe traffic congestion, with vehicles crawling on several major roads.
Major Roads Gridlocked Across Chandigarh
The traffic disruption was widespread. From Madhya Marg to Dakshin Marg, traffic remained choked as police struggled to regulate the flow of vehicles. Despite the farmers having announced the protest in advance, the traffic police appeared unprepared, with several in-roads witnessing major bottlenecks. The situation left many commuters, including school buses, stranded in long queues.
"Chandigarh witnessed massive traffic chaos on Friday as a farmers' protest brought several key roads to a standstill, leaving commuters stranded in hours-long traffic jams." — The Tribune
Our Take: Poor Planning Made a Bad Situation Worse
This protest was announced in advance, yet the traffic police were caught off guard. In our view, this shows a clear failure in planning. While farmers have every right to protest, the authorities should have prepared alternative routes and better traffic management to minimize disruption for thousands of daily commuters. The result was unnecessary chaos that could have been reduced with basic coordination.