Ropar witnessed severe traffic disruption on Friday after a farmers protest near Bunga Sahib brought vehicular movement on several key highways to a standstill, leaving thousands of commuters stranded for hours across the district.
The disruption followed a dharna staged by the Kirti Kisan Union in protest against the visit of the Ravi Beas Tribunal to Nangal. As protesters blocked the road, traffic on the Ropar–Anandpur Sahib road came to a complete halt. The impact quickly spread to other major routes, including the Ropar–Nangal road and the Manali–Ropar highway, causing long queues of vehicles and slow-moving traffic.
Several other roads passing through the district, including the Nurpur–Ropar stretch, also witnessed heavy congestion as diverted vehicles crowded alternate routes. Motorists reported being stuck for hours, with little movement during peak morning hours.
Commuters alleged that the district administration failed to anticipate the scale of disruption or put effective traffic management measures in place. Many said there was a lack of visible police presence on diversion routes and no clear signage to guide motorists, which further worsened the situation.
The traffic blockade caused significant hardship to families travelling with children, elderly passengers, and patients heading to hospitals in nearby towns. Emergency vehicles were also delayed as congestion continued on multiple stretches.
Traffic movement began to ease later in the day following police intervention, though delays persisted on several roads as normal flow was restored gradually.