The protest, held against the visit of the Ravi Beas Tribunal to Nangal, brought traffic on the Ropar-Anandpur Sahib road to a halt. Vehicular movement was also severely affected on the Ropar-Nangal road and the Manali-Ropar highway. Long queues were reported on the Nurpur-Ropar road and other routes passing through the district.
Commuters alleged that the district administration failed to anticipate the disruption or implement effective traffic diversions. Many said police presence on alternative routes was minimal and that no clear directions were provided to manage congestion.
Families with children, elderly passengers and patients travelling to hospitals were among those stuck in traffic for several hours