Massive traffic snarls engulfed the High Court-Vypeen stretch since Friday morning as approximately 9,000 delegates from across the world converged at Lulu Bolgatty International Convention Centre in around 5,000 cars and other vehicles, to attend the 81st annual conference of the All India Ophthalmological Society (AIOS).
The meet that began on Thursday will be on till Sunday. The snarls often extended up to Shanmukham Road, Menaka, Chatiyath Road, and well into Container Road. Vehicles were caught in snarls on even Banerji Road and MG Road, as a result. The police said they would register a case against the event management team that organised the conference.
“We served notice twice to the organisers to do the needful. We will register a case under Section 283 of the IPC [causing obstruction in public way] against the organisers,” said a senior traffic police officer.
The FB post of a person who ferried two doctors to the venue in his vehicle and was caught in the snarls for three hours on Friday, went viral. It blamed the organisers and the convention centre for hosting the mega event, despite “inadequate” availability of space.
Ro ro halted
Making matters worse, the sole roll-on roll-off (ro-ro) ferry that ferried commuters in the Vypeen-Fort Kochi corridor was withdrawn from service during evening peak hours from 6.30 p.m. to 7.30 p.m. reportedly in connection with a VIP visit. This held up commuters and their vehicles on either side.