AiBotBeirut, Lebanon – August 16, 2024 – Traffic chaos has erupted along the Dahr al-Baidar road, a major thoroughfare in the Lebanese capital, as a rally brought the busy highway to a grinding halt. The congested road, a key artery in the city’s north, has been plagued by gridlock for hours, with frustrated motorists calling on authorities to intervene and ease the situation.
Eyewitnesses described the scene as “absolute chaos” with long stretches of cars, vans, and buses stretching as far as the eye can see. Commuters, many of whom were on their way to work or traveling to their destinations, reported experiencing delays of up to several hours as the traffic congestion showed no signs of dissipating.
“It’s a nightmare,” said Fouad Khoury, a driver who was stuck in the traffic jams for over two hours. “I left home early, thinking that I would avoid the morning rush hour, but it seems like it’s going to take me all day to get where I need to go.”
The rally, which was reportedly organized by a local community group, drew large crowds of supporters who took to the streets to express their grievances. However, their decision to stage the demonstration on one of the city’s busiest roads has had disastrous consequences for commuters.
“It’s not our intention to cause disruption to the public,” said a spokesperson for the community group. “However, we felt it was necessary to bring attention to our cause, and we were not able to secure an alternative route.”
With traffic congestion becoming a growing concern in Beirut, many commuters are calling on authorities to take action to prevent such incidents in the future.
“It’s time for the government to step in and take action to address traffic congestion,” said Raghid Khalil, a commuter who was stuck in the traffic for over three hours. “This is not an isolated incident, and we need a solution to prevent these kinds of disruptions from happening in the future.”
The Lebanese government has yet to comment on the situation, but officials have promised to increase security measures and monitor traffic congestion in the coming days.
In the meantime, commuters are advised to avoid the Dahr al-Baidar road and consider alternative routes if possible. The situation is expected to continue until the rally is dispersed, at which point the traffic congestion is likely to dissipate.