ProMASS News
Agartala, September 30: On the eve of Durga Puja, a sudden but smart downpour across the city in the afternoon cast pall of gloom which started evaporating as evening descended with a ray of hope. Today, Agartala and its suburban areas witness massive crowd flooding shopping malls, cloth shops and City’s marketing hub – hawkers’ corner resulting equally huge traffic jam in almost all the thoroughfares of the city.
Rainfall marred the Puja spirit yesterday – the last Sunday before Puja. Traders, shoppers and Puja organizers were worried. However, Monday brought some relief as weather improved since evening and people ventured out crowding the markets and shops.
“Normally with onset of Puja season, we observed business picking up. But, this year the market sentiment appeared to be dull – and occasional rains further dampened the spirit. At last, today people – with weather god seems to be happy – came out in large number and we had a good business today,” said one of garment shop owners while closing down his shop well after 10 pm. It was observed, street vendors too made a brisk business.
However with swarming of puja shoppers the city got clogged by vehicles with almost gridlock situation emerging on all the roads. Massive traffic jams –often for hours- brought the city thoroughfares into a standstill with stuck up vehicles of all sorts honking impatiently and bikers and scooty riders trying to squeeze out their ways through the locked up roads. The traffic police in all possible areas stood virtually hapless and road indiscipline ruled the roost.
Mood of weather god still remains a matter of grave concern as the MeT officials cautioned there are chances of moderate rainfall in and around several areas of the capital between October 01 and 05 next. The MeT department does not rule out rain during Durga Puja and predicted isolated rains in parts of the State.
