Delhi Police issues traffic advisory in light of half-marathon, BJP rally

Police said people commuting to the Indira Gandhi International airport and the New Delhi, Old Delhi and Hazrat Nizamuddin railway stations must leave well in advance to accommodate for the possible delays because of the rally and the marathon.

The Delhi Traffic Police have issued an advisory and have urged citizens to follow the police’s social media handles before heading out on Sunday, pointing to a half-marathon and a mega Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) rally being organised in the city.

The Delhi traffic police has issued an advisory in view of the Delhi Half Marathon and a mega rally by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the national capital. (ANI)

Police said people commuting to the Indira Gandhi International airport and the New Delhi, Old Delhi and Hazrat Nizamuddin railway stations must leave well in advance to accommodate for the possible delays because of the rally and the marathon.

“We urge people to look at the advisory before steeping out on Sunday. The advisory has been published in newspapers and also updated on our social media pages,” a traffic police officer said.

The 2022 edition of the Delhi half-marathon will take place on Sunday morning between 5.30am and 9.30am in areas covering South and New Delhi districts such as Lodhi Road, Zakir Hussain Marg and C hexagon of the India Gate, and Delhi Police have also restricted traffic on nearby roads such as parts of Janpath, Tolstoy Road, Mathura Road and the Outer and Inner Circle of Connaught Place.

Traffic restrictions in place

While the main event of the marathon is expected to be wrapped up by 10am, the traffic restrictions will shift to central Delhi and New Delhi where BJP is organising its “panch parmeshwar sammelan.” In the rally, BJP national president JP Nadda is scheduled to address an estimated 100,000 party workers, and Delhi BJP leaders have said that nearly 2,000 buses have been arranged to bring party workers from different parts of the city to the venue.

While the rally is underway, a police spokesman said, several roads in and around the venue will be restricted. “There will be diversions and restrictions on roads such as Delhi Gate and Rajghat to JLN Marg, Guru Nanak Chowk to Ajmeri Gate, Kamla Market towards Hamdard, DDU-Minto light point towards Kamla Market, Ajmeri Gate to Hamdard Chowk and Mirdard to Turkman Gate,” the spokesperson said.

Two hours before the rally, police will also place restrictions on some stretches, and will allow only ambulances or passengers going towards New Delhi railway station to travel through.

“From 8 am, no traffic will be allowed on the following roads (except ambulance, patients going to LNJP Hospital, GB Pant Hospital and passengers going to New Delhi railway station) after 8am. The roads are Ranjeet Singh flyover from Barakhambha Road to Guru Nanak Chowk, Vivekanand Marg from Minto Road to Kamla Market, JLN Marg (from Rajghat to Delhi Gate), Kamla Market to Guru Nanak Chowk, Chaman Lal Marg near VIP Gate and Paharganj Chowk towards Ajmeri Gate,” the spokesperson said.