President on the move, Mumbai tied down for an hour – Times of India

MUMBAI: The large cavalcade accompanying President Ram Nath Kovind as he travelled from Raj Bhavan to the airport on Sunday afternoon led to a massive traffic gridlock as the police blocked roads and the highway leading to the airport. The president was leaving the city after a four-day visit to Maharashtra.
Traffic movement from south Mumbai to the Western Express Highway up to Jogeshwari came to a standstill for almost 30 minutes. It took another 30 to 45 minutes for the stranded vehicles to clear the stretch, complained motorists.
Eyewitnesses said the President’s convoy contained 54 cars. The VVIP movement affected even emergency vehicles like ambulances along the route.
The entire Western Express Highway leading to the Mumbai airport, including the service roads and the flyovers, were blocked to allow the motorcade to pass unhindered.
“Traffic was stopped at 12.15pm till the President’s convoy passed from south Mumbai to the Mumbai airport and reached its destination around 12.45pm. It took another 30 to 45 minutes to clear the traffic,” said a traffic police officer.
Nayan (@nayanb) tweeted: “Road traffic movement is closed on the entire WEH from Andheri to south Mumbai on LJ road due to VIP movement today again Many motorists r stuck.” Parth Amberkar (@SkepticGooner) tweeted: “Entire traffic halted for some VIP for the past 20mins going from bkc to south side at a couple of signals causing massive jams.”
Architect Jagdeep Desai, in an online post, said: “If he is our Rashtrapati, he should be accessible to us, and not be kept away. Absolutely undemocratic. His office should be made aware that while he is the first citizen, we are his equals in public. Such messages should be publicly disseminated on Koo, Twitter.” Dr Bomi Pardiwala said: “This time the president has really made people suffer for 3 to 4 days to all people along the VVIP pathway. This stupid practice has to stop.”