Huge gathering throws traffic out of gear
Source: The Sangai Express

Kangpokpi, August 01 2022: Thousands of devotees gathered at Koubru Leikha to participate in the Kanwar Yatra today disrupted normal flow of traffic along NH-2 .

The congregation was so large that it disrupted normal flow of traffic along NH-2 till about 3 in the afternoon.

The Kanwar Yatra started from Koubru Leikha and culminated at Senapati district headquarters.

Despite the district police trying their best to maintain normal traffic flow, many passengers including patients were seen stuck for more than 2/3 hours owing to the disruption of the traffic flow by the devotees and their vehicles parked on both sides of the road.

Volunteers of the organizing committee were seen helping the police but due to the mismanagement of the parking lot in the initial stage, commuters and passengers had to suffer a lot.

One of the stranded passengers talking to the media said that every religious festival is given due respect in Manipur but the celebration should not affect travelers due to mismanagement of the organizers.

He added that he had been stuck in the traffic for more than 2 hours.

A visibly exhausted patient returning from Imphal after a medical check was also seen stuck in the traffic.

Another visibly worried commuter said the traffic congestion was the lesser thing to be worried about but what was alarming was the huge gathering of people during the time of pandemic.

According to some civil society organizations in the district, many complaints were received about the disruption of the traffic flow at Koubru Leikha, and the mismanagement of the traffic for which innocent travelers had to suffer a lot.

TSA Sadar Hills general secretary, Lalboi Lhouvum said that a team of TSA Sadar Hills went to the spot to take stock of the situation and found that the traffic congestion and the gathering was alarming.

He continued that the Kanwar Yatra, where the devotees chanted, 'Bol-bam' was celebrated every year, but this time the gathering was different as the devotees and the vehicles completely blocked the highway causing traffic movement on both ends heavily disrupted which suffered many commuters and passengers.

Considering the situation, TSA informed the District SP, who promptly responded and acted but the traffic disruption was already out of control.

He added that devotees were seen in a wild celebration mood as most of them were seen openly drinking along side the road while the odour of cannabis was everywhere, he further added.

He added that TSA loves and respects the festival but they are compelled to question the mismanagement of traffic as it could have been avoided had the organizing committee arranged a proper parking lot beforehand.

At the same time, failure to check over the huge gatherings amidst, the surging COVID-19 cases and the open use of drugs and alcohol was also questionable, he added He further questioned how such a huge gathering could be permitted without any control when COVID-19 cases are rising even day and how the use of drugs and alcohol openly by most of the Bol-bam goers could happen when the war on drugs is strictly enforced in the district.

"Who should be held responsible for all these failures", asked the TSA leader.

He then appealed to the authorities concerned and the district administration, and also to the organizing measures so that the celebration goes smoothly without causing inconvenience to the public in the future while also checking on the open use of drugs alcohol which could be misinterpreted among the youths.

Over the alarming gathering at such a critical juncture when surging COVID-19 cases are reported every day, the student body said that the District administration and the organizing committee should be held responsible if COVID-19 cases in the district surge after the event.

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