Commuters suffer as rallyists derail traffic in central Kol
Times of India | 21 January 2026
Kolkata: Three separate sets of protesters and rallyists, numbering over 6,000, blocked key Esplanade approaches to press for their demands and threw traffic out of gear for more than four hours on Tuesday.
The entire area, from as far as Beckbagan to Dalhousie, witnessed extremely slow traffic movement. SN Banerjee Road was the worst hit, with traffic completely shut for close to six hours, as Anganwadi workers first squatted on the road and another group of protesters blocked Dorina crossing.
A rally of around 4,000 from Cathedral Road to the Gandhi statue stopped movement on JL Nehru Road. Together with multiple diversions, traffic choked in and around Esplanade-Sealdah between 1 pm and 4 pm, with the problem stretching to 6.30 pm on SN Banerjee Road. Cops have warned of a similar traffic situation, as a big political rally and a protest by Asha workers was planned for Wednesday.
The Anganwadi rally hit traffic the worst as protesters gathered in front of the KMC headquarters. They demanded official recognition as govt employees, a salary increase, and financial growth for Anganwadi centres. Police tried to stop the march, leading to a scuffle with the workers. A two-tier barricade was set up to halt the procession, effectively bringing the Esplanade area to a standstill.