Assembly road was 'no go' zone

Usually busy roads around the Assembly wore a deserted look on Friday with police imposing a blanket ban on vehicular traffic. Police sealed off all routes leading to the Assembly to foil the programme called by Telangana JAC, demanding to adopt a resolution in favour of separate state in the House.

Traffic restrictions were imposed within two km radius of the Assembly by erecting barricades and police have thrown thick security blanket around the premises. The barbed wire fencing around the Assembly was further increased in height. Assembly road was the connecting centre to old city and new city. Over 10 lakh two wheelers and one lakh four wheelers ply on the busy road every day.

Flyovers at Basheerbagh, Narayanaguda,Khairatabad and Secretariat were shut down. All commercial establishments were also closed. Since early hours, vehicular traffic had been diverted. Except medical ambulances, no vehicle was permitted to move on the Assembly road. Employees working in government offices located around the Assembly had faced many hurdles to reach their destinations. Legislators and media people were only allowed to proceed towards Assembly.

Forces were on tenterhooks all through the day and foiled the attempts made by Telangana activists to reach the Assembly. Soon after the TRS MP Vijayshanthi got down from her car at the entrance of Assembly, she along with her supporters were bundled in a police van and shifted. Police also foiled the Telangana Advocate JAC members bid to reach the house at police control room. Mild tension prevailed when the lawyers were taken into custody. Police also took into custody some youth when they tried to reach the Assembly from the back side of All India Radio office.