‘Rally ready’ Delhi saw massive traffic jams due to VHP event on Sunday

Although the traffic police had advertised preparations for the impending rally from Friday itself, many commuters were stuck in bottlenecks and many were confused as to which route to take to their destination.

As supporters for a Ram temple in Ayodhya took to the streets in the national capital on Sunday, commuters across central and east Delhi faced a harrowing time with long traffic snarls and barricaded roads.

A view of massive traffic jam at ITO due to Vishwa Hindu Parishad’s (VHP) rally on Ram temple issue, New Delhi, on Sunday, December 9, 2018. (Amal KS/HT PHOTO)

Although the traffic police had advertised preparations for the impending rally from Friday itself, many commuters were stuck in bottlenecks and many were confused as to which route to take to their destination.

For people to march to the venue, Delhi Traffic Police had completely stopped traffic on the Ranjeet Singh Flyover (from Guru Nanak Chowk to Barakhambha Road), JLN Marg (from Rajghat to Delhi Gate), Chaman Lal Marg near VIP gate.

The traffic snarls began in the morning as protesters made their way to the Ramlila Maidan. By afternoon, stretches upto south Delhi. Roads were clogged upto 5pm, long after the rally ended at 2 pm.

Traffic police officials manning the routes to the rally site said that the chaos was caused by buses carrying protesters parked on the sides of the roads.

Commuters had a harrowing time while travelling in central Delhi too.

“It took me more than an hour just to cross stretch less than a kilometer long on Vikas Marg. Buses were parked on both sides of the road near the ITO ghat leading to a massive traffic jam in the area,” said Sunita, a resident of Noida.

Commuters complained that there were no officials to guide them.

“I have been going around the Ring Road (behind Red Fort) for over 30 minutes. They have blocked the entrance from Ajmeri Gate but there is no clear diversion to reach the New Delhi railway station,” said Praveen Khanna.

Despite claims of “elaborate arrangements” by the Delhi Traffic Police, bottlenecks were also witnessed around Asaf Ali Marg, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, Vikas Marg, Tilak Marg, Mandi House, India Gate roundabout, Mathura Road, Minto Road and Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg.

Commuters were also seen waiting for several minutes on Ring Road from Sarai Kale Khan to Chandgi Ram Akhara, Jawaharlal Nehru Marg, Netaji Subhash Marg, Desh Bandhu Gupta Road, and Shraddhanand Marg.

Spillovers were also seen at the Teen Murti roundabout, Akbar Road, Bhairon Marg, Shanti Path and Sardar Patel Marg.

“Because of the massive crowd at the rally, jams were seen in some parts of central and east Delhi, but we tried to disperse the crowd as soon as the rally ended and regain regular movement on the route,” said Alok Kumar, joint commissioner of police (traffic).

Officials on site also said that such a voluminous gathering on a weekday would have brought the city to a standstill.

Supporters also took out a bike rally and a pedestrian ‘saffron flag march’, which became another reason for a chock-a-block situation on Sunday evening.