Protest for Due Dearness Allowance Halts Traffic in Kolkata

A section of West Bengal government employees took to the streets on Thursday, blocking Dorina crossing at Esplanade, demanding that the dearness allowance be paid as per a Supreme Court order. Organized under the banner of Sangrami Joutha Mancha, the protesters intended to march to Hazra Park near Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's residence, but police forces halted their progress at Esplanade.

Despite repeated requests from top police officers to disperse, a leader from the platform insisted that either their rally be allowed to proceed or top state officials come to meet them. The protest reflects mounting frustration over the state's failure to comply with the Supreme Court's February directive to pay 25% of the accrued dearness allowance arrears by March 6.

The blockade at the city's core severely disrupted traffic, leading to long snarls on Chittaranjan Avenue, Jawaharlal Nehru Road, and S N Banerjee Road. The Supreme Court's earlier ruling aimed to provide relief to nearly 20 lakh government employees by acknowledging the dearness allowance as a legally enforceable right for the period from 2008 to 2019.