India, Jan. 24 -- Large parts of the city witnessed severe traffic congestion on Friday as major roads were closed for the final stage of the Pune Grand Tour cycling race. With stretches barricaded from 10am onwards, vehicular movement on several arterial roads was halted, bringing the city to a near standstill for most of the day.

Key paths, including Shivaji Road, Bajirao Road, Tilak Road, Jungli Maharaj (JM) Road, Fergusson College Road, and several internal lanes around Shaniwarwada and Pune Railway Station were closed by the police department to facilitate the international cycling event. As a result, traffic was diverted to alternative routes, leading to long jams and congestion across other parts of the city.

Commuters reported d...