Hyderabad:
Normal life was thrown out of gear today in view of the massive traffic and security restrictions imposed by the police ahead of the 'Million March to Hyderabad' called by pro-Telangana groups seeking introduction of a Bill on a separate state in the ongoing Parliament session.
Traffic restrictions came into force from morning hours and office-goers had a tough time reaching their destinations.
The Million March, aimed at sending across a message to the Centre on the formation of Telangana, is supposed to be held from 1 pm to 4pm at Tank Bund at the Hussainsagar Lake in the heart of the city.
The Hyderabad Police, which has denied permission to the march citing that this programme may affect normal life and might even lead to law and order problems, has already imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 CrPC in Hyderabad and Cyberabad Police Commissionerate limits, banning any kind of assembly of persons, rallies and processions.
Heavy security arrangements were made in different parts of Hyderabad with deployment of hundreds of security personnel drawn from the state police and central paramilitary forces.
However, police, who barricaded the surrounding routes with barbed wires towards the Tank Bund area ahead of the march, came under severe criticism from the public, particularly office-goers, who complained that though they started their journey hours before to reach their destinations, they were still being stopped at many roads. Police had, on Wednesday, asked office-goers to carry identity cards.
Traffic restrictions resulted in heavy traffic jams at several locations including near RTC Cross Roads, Kachiguda, Malakpet, Koti, parts of Old City, Basheerbagh among other areas.