An Ahmedabad traffic jam stretched across roads near the city’s flower market and Jamalpur vegetable market on Diwali morning as shoppers, wholesale traders and parked vehicles crowded the busy commercial areas, according to a report by Sandesh. Traffic police were deployed to manage the disruption and divert vehicles through alternative routes.
Large numbers of residents reached the flower market from early morning to buy marigolds, roses and other items used for festival पूजा and household celebrations. At the same time, customers and wholesale traders arrived at Jamalpur vegetable market, bringing additional two-wheelers, cars and commercial vehicles into an already congested area.
The concentration of pedestrians, roadside vendors, handcarts and vehicles parked along the roads narrowed the available carriageway around the markets. The resulting congestion affected roads near Jamalpur Bridge, the route towards Geeta Mandir and connecting roads in the surrounding area.
The report said traffic movement slowed for several hours, with long queues involving two-wheelers, city buses and four-wheelers. People travelling to work and other destinations were caught in the congestion. Ambulances and other emergency vehicles were also reported to have faced delays while passing through the affected stretches.
The disruption highlights the operational pressure placed on roads around high-footfall markets during festival periods. Flower and vegetable markets draw both retail shoppers and wholesale activity, creating overlapping movement by pedestrians, private vehicles, goods vehicles, vendors and public transport. In the Jamalpur area, the report attributed the immediate gridlock to the combined effect of this activity and unregulated roadside parking.
Traffic police teams were stationed at the affected locations to clear roads and ease vehicle movement. Officers worked to remove obstructions and direct vehicles towards alternative routes as queues built up around the markets and their approach roads.
Local residents and motorists called for additional police deployment around major markets during festivals. They also sought better parking arrangements to prevent vehicles from occupying road space and to reduce inconvenience for ordinary commuters. The report did not provide details of a longer-term traffic management or parking plan for the market areas.
