It was a day of chaos on city roads on Thursday. While the University Road turned into a battlefield where policemen kept chasing rowdy students out to meddle with the ongoing counting for the LU Students' Union elections, practically the whole city was taken to ransom by striking workers.

Result: Prolonged traffic jams throughout the day. City arteries linking key points like Hazratganj, Nishatganj, IT Crossing, Daliganj, and Charbagh witnessed traffic congestion for more than two hours. And even when things eased out, traffic moved at a snail's pace.

And with no alternative arrangements planned by the traffic department, the man on the street was a harried lot — the sultry weather adding to his woes. Things went worse for the people of Aliganj area post-afternoon when the University Road was closed for the LUSU polls counting.

Ajay Singh, a resident of New Hyderabad, who was trapped in traffic jam for more than an hour, asked: "Why do these elections happen? And if they really happen, then why is it that we pay for that?"