Vadodara: RoYALS Garba has drawn sharp outrage from Barodians after repeated failures in parking and basic arrangements turned festive nights chaotic. Despite charging thousands of rupees for passes, the organisers stand accused of near-total mismanagement of traffic and parking, leading to direct confrontations between visitors and security personnel at multiple gates.
On the fifth night of Navratri, a heated dispute broke out at Gate No. 4 over parking space. Security guards and Barodians came face-to-face in angry arguments. Similar clashes involving police and visitors had already been reported at other gates earlier in the festival. While a large number of security personnel remain deployed across the venue and entry points, effective planning and management appear absent. Long vehicle queues, confusion at gates, and disorder inside the premises and parking areas have left attendees deeply frustrated. Many have alleged aggressive and high-handed behaviour by the security staff.
The situation worsened after 10 PM when Gate No. 6 was closed for entry and parking. Barodians who had already paid steep fees found themselves stranded. Two-wheeler riders were forced to park far away in nearby pay-and-park areas with no guarantee of vehicle safety. More than 10 two-wheelers were left stuck on the main road. In a collective show of anger, visitors sounded their horns together to register protest and demand proper facilities. They pointed out that expensive passes had not translated into safe parking or basic convenience.
These problems have not been limited to a single night. Daily quarrels over parking at different gates have repeatedly escalated into traffic snarls on surrounding roads. Videos of the confrontations and the horn protest have spread quickly across social media. Barodians are questioning why adequate parking and traffic management were not put in place despite the high cost of entry, and they are demanding immediate improvements for the remaining nights of the festival.
The recurring chaos has intensified criticism of the RoYALS Garba organisers for collecting substantial fees while failing to deliver essential arrangements. The incidents have also raised wider concerns about traffic management around major Garba venues in the city. No detailed response from the organisers addressing the allegations of mismanagement has been reported so far.
