Thaindian News

New Delhi, July 5 (IANS) Opposition leaders courting arrest, huge traffic snarls and blocked roads - there was chaos in the national capital Monday during the daylong shutdown against the rise in fuel prices.
Shutters were down in most shops in the city, with small groups of people roaming the streets to enforce the strike.

Major markets — Chandni Chowk, Connaught Place, Karol Bagh, Greater Kailash, Kirti Nagar and Rajouri Garden — were shut. Protesters also forced traders to shut shops at Khan Market to enforce the shutdown, called by the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance and the Left parties.

BJP leaders held protests in Chandni Chowk area while Left leaders camped at ITO.

BJP president Nitin Gadkari, Janata Dal-United (JD-U) president Sharad Yadav and Shiromani Akali Dal leader Harsimrat Kaur courted arrested at Chandni Chowk while Left leaders Brinda Karat, D. Raja and A.B. Bardhan were detained at ITO.

“The shutdown was completely successful in Delhi. All the shops and markets are closed and more then 700 market associations have participated in the nationwide shutdown in the capital,” said Rajeev Khandelwal, secretary general of the Confederation of All India Traders.

Most schools also remained closed.

Delhi Police deployed 100 companies to ensure smooth flow of traffic, but couldn’t prevent jams at many places.

“There were demonstrations and jams in the morning but things were under control. Traffic policemen were spread across the city to handle any untoward incident,” said Joint Commissioner (Traffic) Satyendra Garg.

Despite their efforts, more than 25 roads were blocked by afternoon with demonstrators waving flags of opposition parties, leading to traffic snarls.

Vehicles piled up on the roads, with cars lined bumper to bumper. “I have been waiting more than half an hour for the traffic to move forward. I think it would have been better to stay at home today,” said Meenakshi Thakur, who was stuck in a traffic jam near South Extension in south Delhi.

City buses were plying but most of them were not packed as they usually are on Monday mornings. The tyres of buses were also deflated in certain parts of East Delhi.

“Tyres of 25 buses were deflated outside the metro station in Preet Vihar. Ten of them have still not been towed away, causing traffic to slow down,” said Juhi Arora, a resident of Preet Vihar.

Arun Kumar, a bus conductor of the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC), said he had been stranded for a long time.

“BJP workers are deflating tyres and it is a problem for the commuters and for us,” he said.

Delhi Police spokesperson Rajan Bhagat said several protesters were detained across the city.

Delhi Metro, the pride of the city, also faced the ire of demonstrators. At Rajeev Chowk metro station, flag-waving BJP workers raised slogans on the platform. A similar protest was held at metro stations in Karol Bagh, Tilak Nagar, Janakpuri West and Uttam Nagar.

Protesters also locked the gates of the Patel Nagar metro station.

“We have given enough protection to commuters by adding extra security personnel in each station,” said a Delhi Metro official.