Prayagraj: Sangam city is presently struggling on two fronts. On one hand are the roads of busy markets and colonies which are witnessing a lull of gloomy silence due to the second
wave of Covid-19 and on the other hand are the cremation ghats which are buzzing with hectic activities round the clock. The count of bodies for cremation only keeps going up with every passing day, something which the locals claim they had never seen before.
The traffic on various roads of Sangam City had always been fairly smooth-flowing because of the broad roads and dividers at almost all the important roads of the city. However, there were several crossings and roads which witnessed a heavy flow of traffic including Mahatma Gandhi road, Stanley road, Motilal Nehru Road, Balson crossing, Lok Seva Aayog crossing, Dhobi Ghat crossing etc. But, for the last one week or so there has been a drastic fall in the number of vehicles and commuters coming out on the road. According to traffic police sources, the roads which witnessed an average of around 40-50 vehicles in a minute are today witnessing just around 10 vehicles per minute.
TOI too visited some of the important crossings and locations of the city to witness the fall in the number of people on the roads. The roads indeed wore a deserted look due to the Covid fear that has gripped the city.
The busy crossing of Meerapur, an important intersection of moving towards SS Khanna Girls Degree College, Kareli, Meerapur, Atarsuiya, Rani Mandi and Chowk was otherwise considered the busiest area of the city but nowadays it hardly sees any traffic congestion as only a few vehicles are coming out on the road.
Another location of Civil Lines, which witnessed hectic activities throughout the day is today almost deserted. Coffee House which was one place in the city where one could see people sitting in large numbers and discussing socio-political issues is today witnessing thin attendance. Likewise, the entire parking area for the long MG road is witnessing hardly any traffic. People are surprised to see just around 10 per cent of vehicles in the parking area.
The Noorullaha road of the old city area, which was otherwise full of people and commuters and roadside vendors especially during the ongoing holy month of Ramzan, is today deserted. Although few people are coming out on the roads to buy the essentials, more or less there is hardly any traffic for roadside vendors in this area.
According to the traffic police department, the traffic load at MG road has reduced by 50- 60 per cent, at Roshanbagh it has reduced around 50 per cent, at Talierganj around 70 per cent, at Meerapur around 55-60 per cent and at Johnstonganj (one of the busiest intersection of the city) the traffic load has come down to around 55 per cent.
“I am now 94 years old and living in the city for the past 65 years but I have never witnessed anything like this before. People are frightened to come out on the roads and rightly so. This sense of gloom, combined with the threat of getting infected is what will protect them. But still, the silence on the roads and the pal of gloom in every locality is something that I had not wished to see or remember” said LK Dikshit, an elderly of Mahenduari locality of the city.