A large crowd thronged Patna Airport and its surrounding areas on Tuesday to welcome senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Nitin Nabin. Upon news of his arrival, a large number of BJP workers and supporters reached the airport with slogans, drums, banners and posters.
The crowd of workers and the large number of vehicles caused a long traffic jam on the main routes to the airport, leading to significant difficulties for passengers trying to catch their flights. The situation on the road to the airport became so severe that many passengers were forced to abandon their vehicles in the traffic jam and walk to the terminal, carrying their suitcases and bags.
The elderly, women and children faced the greatest difficulties. Some passengers reported that despite leaving home well in advance of their scheduled departure, they were afraid of missing their flights due to being caught in traffic.
According to eyewitnesses, a large number of two and four-wheeled vehicles were parked on the airport road for Nitin Nabin's welcome, completely disrupting the flow of traffic. The vehicles parked on both sides of the road and the crowd of workers made it difficult for essential services, such as ambulances and taxis, to pass.
Several taxi drivers were seen dropping passengers off en route and turning back. Passengers stated that political welcome events of this nature in a sensitive and busy area like an airport cause unnecessary hardship for the general public. One passenger mentioned that they were visiting from out of town and it was their first time at Patna Airport, but they faced significant problems due to the traffic jam and disorder.
Some passengers also questioned the security arrangements and traffic management. However, there was tremendous enthusiasm among the BJP workers to welcome their leader. The workers chanted slogans in support of Nitin Nabin and were busy preparing to greet him with flower garlands.
Supporters stated that this affection and respect for Nitin Nabin is natural, but they also acknowledged that it should not inconvenience the public. Traffic police and airport security personnel had to make extra efforts to manage the situation.
The police gradually attempted to normalise traffic by clearing the crowd and vehicles. The congestion only began to ease after a considerable amount of time.
