No heavy vehicles allowed on Delhi-Gurugram Expressway on G20 dates: Police

The restriction will go into effect at the Sirhaul border after midnight on September 7 and will last until midnight on September 10

No heavy or medium goods vehicles, except those classified as essential or emergency, will be permitted to travel on the Gurugram-Delhi Expressway towards Delhi from September 8 to September 10 during the G20 summit, Gurugram traffic police officers aware of the matter said on Friday.

Virender Vij, deputy commissioner of police (traffic), said that, in addition to these diversionary measures, multinational companies in the city are urged to allow their employees to work remotely. (HT Archive)

According to the police, the restriction will go into effect at the Sirhaul border after midnight on September 7 (the intervening night of September 7 and 8) and will last until midnight on September 10 (the intervening night of September 10 and 11).

Virender Vij, deputy commissioner of police (traffic), said that, in addition to these diversionary measures, multinational companies in the city are urged to allow their employees to work remotely, particularly on September 8 when foreign delegations will begin arriving at the Indira Gandhi International Airport to attend the summit on September 9 and 10, which are Saturday and Sunday, when most firms will remain closed, reducing traffic congestion.

“We have requested that the Gurugram district administration issue an advisory to MNCs regarding remote work. Though there will be no restrictions on private vehicles travelling on the national highway towards Delhi, residents are encouraged to use Metro service because there will be numerous diversions in the national capital,” Vij said.

He also said that because several delegates will be staying at The Oberoi hotel in Gurugram, regular traffic will be halted for four to five minutes at Shankar Chowk whenever the VIPs travel.

According to the DCP, a letter has been sent to the Rajasthan transport department urging them to divert their long-distance buses to Faridabad to reach Delhi’s Sarai Kale Khan rather than taking the usual route of National Highway (NH) 48 crossing through Gurugram.

According to traffic officers, heavy and goods vehicles will be diverted at Panchgaon and then at Rajeev Chowk on NH 48.

“Those who begin within the city cannot travel beyond Rajeev Chowk. However, essential category vehicles carrying vegetables, milk, and fuel will be allowed to travel to Delhi,” Vij said, adding that an additional 100 police officers will be deployed to manage traffic during the summit.

Public transport buses will be allowed to travel up to Iffco Chowk from Rajeev Chowk via the highway and then diverted on MG Road to Aya Nagar via Sikanderpur for travel to Delhi.

“We have written to the Haryana transport commissioner to notify all drivers about the route diversion at Iffco Chowk, where a police naka will be operational,” said DCP Vij, adding, “Our traffic control room receives a real-time alert about any traffic congestion, based on which manpower will be mobilised to ease vehicular movement.”

The Gurugram traffic police said they will use five regular and one heavy-capacity crane to immediately tow away vehicles that break down on the expressway.