THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: If anybody who passed along the Statue-Palayam stretch on Friday morning thought of leaving their vehicles in the middle of the road and walk to their destinations, it was no big surprise. For more than two hours, the city traffic dragged and lagged and puffed, while agitators once again took over the Secretariat area and roads, mocking the motorists and pedestrians, all the while demanding their rights. Around 2,000 members of the Kerala State Electricity Board Workers Union (CITU) and another 1,000 workers belonging to the Kerala Water Authority Union Action Council (INTUC, CITU, AITUC and STU), raising various demands, stalled traffic on the main road during the morning hours. While the first dharna started around 10 am and lasted till 12.45 pm, the second rally was kicked off around 11.45 from the Museum premises and lasted for an hour. Then there were two short agitations with small number of participants that added to the impact, according to the information sourced from the City Police Special Branch. But that was enough for the traffic congestions in many parts of the city, as the traffic got rerouted at many joints. Especially the traffic in the bylanes in the Statue- Palayam- Pulimoodu- Vanchiyoor areas, which took to a slow pace during the two hours. At many places, Traffic personnel could be seen having a tough time since handling the agitated motorists proved much difficult than the agitations itself. While the phenomenon has been continuing for days now, with organisations taking over roads with no mercy upon the motorists, the authorities are yet to prescribe any solution to end the woes of the city folk.
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