Thousands of commuters were reportedly stranded for several hours on Saturday as a massive traffic jam stretched from Mawryngkneng towards Puriang and also affected the bypass road, following heavy vehicular movement linked to a fishing competition and lucky draw organised at Mawryngkneng.
According to commuters, congestion began in the morning as large numbers of people arrived to participate in the event. Indiscriminate parking and the volume of vehicles reportedly worsened the situation, leaving traffic virtually at a standstill for hours and continuing into the evening.
The congestion caused frustration among travellers, with commuters alleging that even vehicles carrying patients were caught in the gridlock and struggled to get through.
Several motorists questioned whether adequate traffic and parking arrangements had been made before allowing an event attracting such a large gathering to be held near a major highway.
One commuter said organisers should consider the wider impact on the public while planning large events and ensure that normal traffic, particularly emergency vehicles, is not disrupted.
Some commuters also called upon the state government and district authorities to impose stricter conditions on large-scale events organised alongside highways.
Questions were also raised by stranded motorists over whether the organisers had obtained the necessary permissions from the Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police for the event. There was no immediate information available to confirm the permission status.
