LUCKNOW, Feb. 17 -- The city administration was caught napping as fender-to-fender traffic choked Hazratganj and surrounding areas on Tuesday afternoon, leaving commuters stranded for hours.

Police diversions failed to ease the pressure as traffic spilled over to alternative routes. At the heart of the issue was a protest by the Indian National Congress. Heavy crowding and a large number of vehicles around the Congress headquarters led to roads being choked, particularly the stretch from Lal Batti crossing towards VVIP Guest House and Jan Bhavan.

Severe jams were reported near Hazratganj and the Novelty Cinema area, while congestion was also witnessed at the crossing leading to the chief minister's residence. Traffic movement towards Sw...