Patna: As voting concluded for the first phase of Bihar Assembly elections in the capital, Patna’s roads descended into chaos on Thursday evening. A massive four-kilometre-long traffic jam stretched from Digha Bridge to R Block as vehicles carrying EVMs from all 14 Patna constituencies made their way to the strong room set up at AN College.
According to officials, the congestion began shortly after 6 p.m., when polling ended and security convoys started transporting voting machines through the Atal Path and Boring Road corridor. By 7 p.m., traffic had come to a standstill across several stretches, including Patliputra Industrial Area, Boring Road intersection, and N College Road, with long queues of vehicles.
Authorities diverted routes for general vehicles in the evening, but the situation remained gridlocked for hours. “The entire stretch from Patliputra Industrial Area to AN College is blocked,” a traffic police official said, adding that normal movement would resume only after all EVM vehicles reached their destination.
Emergency vehicles, including ambulances and fire engines, were given exemption during the traffic restrictions.
Earlier in the day, the traffic police had already revised routes in the Boring Road area anticipating congestion caused by EVM movement. Restrictions came into effect from 5:30 p.m. and will remain until the situation normalises.
The EVMs from Patna’s 14 constituencies were being transported under tight security after the conclusion of voting for the first phase of the Bihar Assembly polls, which saw brisk polling across the city and neighbouring districts.
