By TC News Desk
Agartala, 5th October 2025 : As in previous years, the annual festival parade honoring the departure of the Goddess caused severe traffic congestion in Agartala, leaving ordinary commuters and even emergency services stranded. Several ambulances carrying patients were forced to halt in the middle of the road for over an hour due to the gridlock.
Busy streets, including Gandhi Ghat and surrounding areas, were completely jammed with hundreds of vehicles and thousands of motorcycles. Ambulance drivers reported receiving no cooperation from traffic authorities despite sounding sirens. One driver said, “Even after 15 minutes of continuous siren, we could not move an inch.” Another added that they had been stranded for more than 30 minutes, raising serious concerns among onlookers about the lack of police intervention.
Critics argue that the annual carnival is poorly managed, with inadequate planning and roadmaps for traffic control. Agartala hosts both primary and secondary referral hospitals, which receive numerous patients daily from subdivision and district hospitals. Yet, despite promises from traffic officials to keep flyovers and key routes open for emergency vehicles before the carnival, the execution remains highly disorganized.
This recurring mismanagement has, year after year, caused immense inconvenience and distress, particularly for those requiring urgent medical care, highlighting the urgent need for better traffic planning during major city events.
