Frustration over VVIP protocol: Citizens express anger amid gridlock in

Lokmat News Network

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

City traffic came to a standstill from 4 pm to 9 pm due to the movement of VVIP convoys, causing widespread frustration among residents on Friday evening. The gridlock stretched from Seven Hills to Cidco, with vehicles halted even after the convoy passed. Horns blared in protest as motorists were stuck for hours.

Around 4.30 pm, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, along with Governor Haribhau Bagde, CM Devendra Fadnavis, and other dignitaries, arrived in the city. The convoy's movement caused traffic disruption multiple times, particularly between 6 pm and 6.15 pm, when the convoy passed through Cannought. Even foreign tourists were impacted, with many stranded and forced to walk to Hotel Rama International, where the VVIPs stayed. To manage traffic, police deployed thick ropes to block roads, but the situation worsened when an ambulance with a critical patient got stuck in the jam. Police quickly cleared the way for the ambulance.

Photo Caption : Ambulance being cleared during VVIP movement.