The district administration has come under severe criticism from people after the traffic was stopped at many areas surrounding NAD Junction, keeping in view of Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s visit to Sarada Peetham in Pendurthi here on Wednesday.
Many citizens alleged that the traffic was stranded for about one to two hours. Long queues of vehicles seen on roads leading to NAD Junction from 104 area, Scindhia, Kothavalasa to NAD Junction via Pendurthi and airport region. Many commuters, including students coming from colleges, and people travelling in RTC buses took to social media to express their displeasure on the police stopping vehicles. A few citizens said that this is happening every time at NAD Junction when the Chief Minister visits Visakhapatnam.
Passengers who were heading to the airport and bus stations had to suffer due to the traffic snarls. Many passengers, including women, were forced to walk to the airport from NAD Junction and the nearby areas, carrying their luggage as the vehicles were stranded in traffic.
Several passengers entered into a heated argument with the traffic police over the issue. “We were forcibly stopped for over 45 minutes and had to walk to the airport, as we had a flight to catch at 4.30 p.m.. This is completely disgusting. What was the need to stop for over half an hour to one hour to give a green channel to the Chief Minister,” said a passenger. Former Telugu Desam Party MLA Bandaru Satyanarayana Murthy said that Mr. Jagan should apologise to people of Visakhapatnam for making them suffer by imposing curfew like situation for hours.
In a video message on Wednesday, the TDP leader said that around 16 km stretch of road between NAD Junction and Pendurthi was completely shut down for the Chief Minister’s visit. He said that street vendors, shopkeepers and even medical shops were forcibly shut down.
“Residents have suffered due to lack of availability of even medicines, milk and grocery. But what seems to be strange is liquor shop was allowed to open,” he said coming down heavily on the YRS Congress Party in the video message.
The TDP leader also said that due to stopping of traffic, air passengers, children and people who were on their way to hospitals had suffered.