Mamata’s mega ‘United India’ rally brings Kolkata to grinding halt

Kolkata, Jan 19: As anti-BJP parties and leaders assembled at the Brigade Parade Grounds in Kolkata for the 'United India' rally organised by West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, the metropolis came to a grinding halt.

Cadres of the ruling party of Bengal started assembling in the city from the wee hours of Saturday and as vehicles multiplied, the state capital's transportation system came under stress. The traffic police were doing their best to keep things under control but the pressure was perhaps too much on the city.

The traffic cops suspended auto-rickshaw services on almost all routes of the city and as the day progressed, almost all vehicular movement was stopped barring the emergency services. The parking lots were full as the number of vehicles coming from outside the city also multiplied. People were even entering the city through waterways, putting that also under a lot of duress.