Hyderabad: Commuters, schoolchildren and healthcare workers were left stranded across the city on Saturday, September 26, as Ganesh idol immersions stretched into a second day, with roads around Tank Bund and the Old City shut for hours without advance notice to the public.
A doctor working at a hospital in Secunderabad and residing in Mallepally described being forced to turn back while heading to work via Tank Bund. “I had to turn back and reroute after the route was barricaded, with no notice of when it would be open again,” Dr Amer* told Siasat.com.
Several students from schools in Abids were sent back home after finding their usual routes barricaded. “Several of my son’s classmates returned home with their autorickshaw drivers within 30 minutes of leaving. Auto drivers stated that roads were barricaded and the police would not allow them,” said Zaira, whose son studies in Class 3 at All Saints’ High School.
Public transport users were among the worst hit. Saleha, who commutes to her office at Lakdi-ka-Pul six days a week via the 8A bus from Moosarambagh to Nampally, said the Afzalgunj stop was barricaded and her bus was rerouted through Koti without warning.
“The bus driver told me I could get on, but he was uncertain about the road closures himself. They asked passengers where they wanted to get off, and stopped me near a metro station, so I had to catch a metro the rest of the way to my office,” she said. “I was familiar with the route, so I could navigate, but people who aren’t might get stranded. At least the bus drivers should have been informed, so that passengers and they don’t face trouble.”
A video circulating on social media on Saturday showed long lines of stalled traffic and barricades near the immersion routes, with commuters visibly stuck as idols continued to move towards Hussain Sagar.
Hyderabad Police Commissioner VC Sajjanar said the immersion procession had continued peacefully, but acknowledged that the heavy turnout of devotees and vehicles had delayed the process. He asked residents to defer non-essential travel through Tank Bund, Necklace Road, NTR Marg, PV Statue and Indira Gandhi Rotary, where restrictions remained in force. The curbs, in effect since 6 am on September 25, were extended into Saturday afternoon over the pace of the immersions.
(* Names of sources have been changed on request.)
