Delhi Traffic Alert: Connaught Place, Parliament Street Mid Block March INDIA | Today’s news
Barricades and traffic diversions across central Delhi caused widespread traffic jams on Tuesday as the INDIA Bloc march towards the Election Commission disrupted vehicular movement in the New Delhi area.
Traffic crawls across central Delhi
Several major roads, including those around India Gate, Connaught Place, Parliament Street and Jantar Mantar, witnessed heavy traffic. Vehicles moved at a creeping pace as commuters encountered repeated stops and diversions imposed in view of the march.
The convoys also extended to connecting roads, and motorists thus had limited opportunities to bypass the affected sections. Several commuters said they were stuck in traffic for at least an hour.
Commuters turn onto the subway and walk
Long delays have forced some commuters to leave their vehicles behind and use the metro or walk to reach their destinations in central Delhi. Visuals from the area showed heavy lines of vehicles on roads affected by safety restrictions and diversions.
Traffic was particularly affected at Connaught Place, Patel Chowk, Rafi Marg, Parliament Street, Motilal Nehru Marg, Teen Murti Marg, Prithviraj Road, Windsor Place, Ashoka Road and Jantar Mantar Road.
“Traffic was moving at almost zero speed and the queue barely moved. We were stuck for almost an hour before some of us decided to get down and take the metro instead,” said a commuter on Ashoka Road.
Traffic was also affected in the New Delhi area, with movement affected on Krishna Menon Marg, Rajpath and Circular Road, while heavy traffic jams were reported at several roundabouts around India Gate. Another commuter reported full traffic congestion from the Mori Gate roundabout towards Hamilton Road and Pul Dufferin rail over the bridge.
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Another commuter said the roads around India Gate are heavily congested, with restrictions and diversions on several routes making it difficult to move between adjacent areas.
“The entire road near Taj and Marriott was blocked for VIP movement and thousands of vehicles remained stranded. There were heavy barricades and it was not easy to pass,” said a commuter.
Police also said that the restrictions around the Taj and Marriott hotels were related to VIP/VVIP movement and were imposed as per operational and security requirements.
“We understand the concerns regarding the traffic restrictions in the vicinity of the Taj and Marriott hotels and the resulting congestion. Traffic regulation during VIP/VVIP movements is being done in accordance with operational and safety requirements and efforts are being made to keep these restrictions as necessary and for the minimum possible time,” police said.
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The disruption followed special traffic arrangements imposed from 8am for the INDIA block march from Parliament Street to the EC headquarters to protest against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The Delhi Traffic Police said vehicular movement was regulated or diverted on several key roads around Connaught Place, Patel Chowk, Parliament Street and Jantar Mantar.
Commuters have been advised to avoid unnecessary journeys via Jantar Mantar, Parliament Street, Ashoka Road and adjoining areas and expect diversions, roadblocks and traffic jams.
Traffic personnel remain deployed at critical points to manage diversions and ease traffic congestion, while normal traffic will be gradually restored once the diversions are completed, police said.
The traffic restrictions came as opposition MPs from INDIA marched towards EC headquarters, with tight security and barricades deployed around Parliament and the Election Commission office ahead of the protest.
A major drama unfolded during the march when Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra along with other MPs and supporters tried to proceed towards the EC office. They were stopped near the NITI Aayog office on Parliament Street.
The INDIA bloc opposed the SIR exercise and raised concerns about revising electoral rolls, while the Election Commission rejected allegations of a split in its three-member body and insisted decisions on the exercise were taken unanimously.
(With inputs from news agency PTI)
