Kathmandu, May 15

Demonstrations by the Federal Alliance and barbed-wire barricades around Singha Durbar threw traffic out of gear in various parts of the capital today.

The alliance of 30 parties, including constituents of the United Democratic Madhesi Front, had staged a rally and sit-in under their “Let’s go to Kathmandu and encircle Singha Durbar” programme, demanding that the constitution be rewritten to address their concerns.

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• Federal Alliance demo brings traffic movement to shambles

After traffic went haywire along the New Baneshwor-Babar Mahal-Maitighar-Singha Durbar-Puralisadak stretch, its chain effect caused vehicles to crawl in other parts of the capital.

Traffic police had to divert vehicles to other sections from the congested road sections of Padmodaya Mod to prevent congestion.

Divertion points were also set up at Tripureshwor, New Baneshwor and Tinkune. Traffic police informed that Sundhara, Ratna Park, Hanumansthan, Tripureshwor, Kupandole, Ghattekulo, New Baneshwor, Old Baneshwor, Tinkune and Gaushala areas experienced heavy traffic pressure for more than seven hours due to the protests, causing major inconvenience to the general public and commuters.

There was a serpentine queue of long and short-route vehicles from Khatri Pauwa to Nagdhunga as police set up check-points to carry out frisking of passengers to foil any attempt by suspects to bring weapons or explosives to Kathmandu.

Hundreds of vehicles were stranded midway.

Police had beefed up security across the capital to prevent any untoward incident during the protest as demonstrators were trying to enter the prohibited zone to gherao Singha Durbar.

Despite heavy presence of security personnel, the demonstrators vandalised a government-owned jeep (Ba 1 Jha 3610) at Maitighar. The vehicle was heading for Thapathali from New Baneshwor when they intercepted and vandalised it.

However, no one was injured in the incident. According to police, riot cops did not clash with the demonstrators during the protest rally.