New Delhi, Jan 3 (UNI) Delhites on Monday witnessed heavy traffic in several parts of the city as BJP staged ‘chakka jam’ at 15 locations across the capital against the Arvind Kejriwal government’s new excise policy.
The Bharatiya Janata Party workers blocked roads at various places following which several arterial roads and their connecting traffic witnessed bottle-necks.
Vehicles were seen moving at snail's pace on the ITO, along the Akshardham Temple, Ring Road, Vikas Marg and Karol Bagh area.
BJP spokesperson Naveen Kumar Jindal said: “We know that commuters are facing traffic jam problems at some places due to ‘chakka jam’ but our protest is in favour of the people and society. The police have already detained several leaders and cleared the roads.”
Commuters complained it took them more than two-three hours to cover a four-five kilometers stretch.
“I have been stuck in a massive traffic jam for the last three hours. The traffic is moving at a snails pace. I left my home around 9 am for Rohini, but got stuck in traffic near Kashmiri Gate. The vehicles were crawling,” said Sourabh Kumar, a commuter and resident of Shahdara.
Delhi BJP chief Adesh Gupta told the media: "Thousands of liquor vends have been opened in Delhi, in residential colonies, near schools and temples, in unauthorised colonies.
"They are troubling local residents with their new liquor policy. We have been constantly opposing it, people of Delhi are with us and we will keep protesting till it is not resolved."
The Delhi unit of the BJP took to streets early in the day, protesting against the Kejriwal government's decision to open more liquor shops across the capital.
The BJP workers were seen in the Laxmi Nagar area of the busy Vikas Marg stopping vehicles by squatting on the road and shouting slogans. They raised demands banning alcohol shops and any further issuing of licenses to open such counters.
Around 200 workers were seen rallying, sitting on the main road stopping DTC buses at traffic signals.
"Delhi ko sharab ki nagri nahi banne denge (will not allow this city to turn into an liquor capital)", the raised slogan.
Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia refuted BJP's claims and said: "Illegal liquor was being sold all around Delhi, BJP had created areas where liquor was illegally sold.
"Because of the new policy, the theft of Rs 3,500 crore that BJP was indulging in has been stopped. BJP will definitely be bothered."
The protests were being held amid the yellow alert underway in the capital due to the Omicron surge. None of the protesters, however, seem to remember that.
Protesters blocked arterial roads in Chhattarpur and Rajouri areas as well and several other crossroads.
Most of the protesters were seen without masks and not maintaining social distance. Cases of new Omicron variant has touched 351 in the city so far, as daily cases of Covid-19 touched 4,099 in 24 hours.
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