Widespread Traffic Jams Paralyze Mumbai
Mumbai, October 7
Yesterday, from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., hundreds of trucks, tankers, cars, and two-wheelers were caught in severe traffic congestion. The gridlock stretched from Mohammed Ali Road to the Vashi Bridge Junction and from Sion Bridge to the CST Lamington Road Market.
Reliable sources indicate the situation was caused by a political procession. Matters worsened as the procession coincided with peak traffic hours. Many vehicle owners who tried to avoid the jam by using interior roads and lanes found themselves going in circles. It took motorists nearly an hour and a half to travel from Sion Bridge to Lamington Road Market—a journey that normally takes a fraction of that time. The traffic police struggled to maintain order amidst the chaos.
Ajith Kumar, a taxi driver, commented, "I have been driving for the past 12 years, but I have never witnessed a traffic jam of this magnitude."
Glossary
- Gridlock
- A traffic jam so severe that no vehicular movement is possible.
- Procession
- A group of people or vehicles moving forward in an orderly and formal way, often as part of a ceremony, protest, or celebration.
- Motorists
- A person who drives a car or other motor vehicle.
- Magnitude
- The large size or extent of something; in this context, the immense scale of the traffic jam.