Ahmedabad: The closure of a median gap near Hotel Hillock on the Sardar Patel Ring Road sparked fresh protests on Sunday, as residents and commuters gathered at the site and protested, alleging that the move has aggravated traffic congestion in the area.

The sealed divider between Vaishnodevi Circle and Zundal Road has forced motorists from areas such as New Tragad and Chandkheda to take a detour of nearly 4 km, triggering a blockade by protesters that caused a traffic jam of over half a kilometre. Police from Chandkheda station intervened, leading to brief heated exchanges before the crowd was dispersed.

Residents later launched a signature campaign demanding the reopening of the gap, saying previous representations had gone unanswered. With the closure in place, motorists are using a narrow culvert about 850 metres away, creating frequent bottlenecks.

Police said the situation was brought under control through negotiations and warned against blocking public roads. DeshGujarat