Rakhi rush, Independence Day security stalls Mumbai

As sisters across the city set out to tie rakhis to their brothers, and the heightened security measures ahead of Independence Day led to heavy traffic situations across the city.

Motorists, who were expecting smooth roads on the public holiday, were caught unawares by the traffic jams on the city’s major roads, particularly in the suburbs.

The traffic surge also ruined some citizens’ Raksha Bandhan, with some sisters reaching their brothers homes after the rituals and others being unable to make it at all. Vashi-resident T Yadnya missed her evening flight to Nagpur, after being stuck in traffic for more than two hours. “Despite leaving early, we managed to reach the airport only after the gates were closed,” said a dejected Yadnya.

The jumbo discount sales at leading retail stores only made things worse, with the footfalls at malls spilling on to the surrounding roads. Cars were queued up for over a kilometre on the roads leading to major malls in the city.

“We anticipated heavy traffic due to movement of people on occasion of Raksha Bandhan and Ramzan, coinciding with the weekend rush. The security measures for Independence Day have also been beefed up, slowing down the traffic,” said Nandkumar Chowgule, DCP (Traffic).

Even the railways weren’t spared, with locals being more crowded than usual.