Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji

Panaji, Nov 2: Thousands of commuters and residents in Panaji and neighbouring areas faced severe traffic congestion, long delays and inconvenience on Sunday as road closures and diversions for the Ironman 70.3 Goa coincided with other major events across the city.

Several roads and highways forming part of the race route were closed or diverted, causing traffic bottlenecks and disrupting daily movement. The situation was further aggravated by the Oktoberfest event at DB Ground and large crowds visiting cemeteries ahead of All Saints' Day observances.

Residents reported being stranded in traffic for extended periods, with key roads witnessing heavy congestion through much of the day. Many took to social media to express their frustration over the traffic arrangements.

Panaji resident Anish Albuquerque described the simultaneous events as a "perfect recipe for absolute traffic chaos".

"Octoberfest at DB Ground, the Ironman event and All Saints' Day celebrations all coincided today, creating the perfect recipe for absolute traffic chaos," he said in a social media post.

Albuquerque said the already congested St Inez road came to a complete standstill as traffic volumes increased.

Several residents questioned the decision to hold multiple large-scale events on the same day without adequate arrangements to manage traffic and minimise inconvenience to local communities. Criticism was also directed at motorists who parked indiscriminately along narrow stretches, further reducing road space and worsening congestion.

While the Ironman event attracted international athletes and promoted Goa as a sporting destination, residents said authorities needed to balance the benefits of hosting major events with the everyday needs of commuters and local communities.

They called for better coordination, advance planning and more effective traffic management to prevent a repeat of Sunday's disruption.