Traffic jams likely in Delhi over restrictions for ASEAN summit today

Delhi Traffic Police have advised commuters to avoid Satya Marg, Shanti Path, Teen Murti, South Avenue Road, Akbar Road, Vijay Chowk, Panchsheel Marg, Safdarjung Road on Thursday and Friday.

Commuters are likely to face traffic jams on prominent stretches across Delhi on Thursday as vehicles will be stopped on many roads in central Delhi due to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations or ASEAN summit.

A cyclist rides past an ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit billboard the side of the road in New Delhi, India, January 23, 2018. (REUTERS)

Traffic curbs have been put in place to allow a smooth passage to the leaders of 10 ASEAN countries from their hotels in central Delhi to the summit venues — the Taj Diplomatic Enclave hotel on Sardar Patel Marg and the Pravasi Bharatiya Kendra in Chanakyapuri.

Leaders of Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos and Brunei, and Indonesia are attending the ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit.

No route will be completely closed to the public on Thursday, but commuters could be stopped for some time to let the dignitaries pass.

Delhi Traffic Police have advised commuters to avoid Satya Marg, Shanti Path, Teen Murti, South Avenue Road, Akbar Road, Vijay Chowk, Panchsheel Marg, Safdarjung Road on Thursday and Friday.

Buses will also be diverted and those bound for Central Secretariat will terminate at Udyan Marg and return through Kali Bari Marg-Mandir Marg-Shankar Road, a traffic advisory issued by the police said.

Buses coming to Mandi House and Feroz Shah Road and proceeding to Connaught Place via Barakhamba Road will terminate at Shivaji Stadium and return through Kasturba Gandhi Marg, it added.

The traffic was heavy from the airport towards Dhaula Kuan and police said motorists should take RTR and under Mahipalpur flyover.

An official said that the borders will be closed for commercial vehicles from 10pm onwards on January 25 and on January 26, the same route from Vijay Chowk to Raj Ghat will be closed for the Republic Day Parade.

As a huge public gathering is expected on Friday around India Gate and Delhi Zoo, commuters should avoid Akbar Road, Ashoka Road, Kasturba Gandhi Marg, Copernicus Marg, Tilak Marg, Purana Quila Road, Shershah Road, Zakir Hussain Marg, Pandara Road, Shahjahan Road, Prithviraj Road, Man Singh Road, Mathura Road, between Pragati Maidan and Zoo.