Traffic snarls in Delhi due to Republic Day rehearsal, brace for more
Prominent roads were badly affected with the Akshardham - Nizamuddin stretch witnessing about 2-km jam.
Commuters on Tuesday faced traffic jams on prominent stretches across Delhi as the full dress rehearsal for the Republic Day’s parade began from Vijay Chowk towards the Red Fort.
All the parallel roads on the route of the parade in central Delhi were congested as it started at 9.50am because of the barricades and pickets put in place by traffic police.
“Among the prominent stretches badly affected by the traffic jam 9:30 onwards included ITO, Akshardham to Nizamuddin, with about 2 kilometres of jam, Ashram to Delhi-Noida-Delhi flyover, National Highway-24 and Pusa Road,” an official at Delhi Traffic Police’s control room said.
“Even in areas such as Mayur Vihar Phase I and III, Karol Bagh – Rajendra Nagar (Pusa Road), Ranhola to Najafgarh traffic restrictions placed by Delhi Traffic Police caused a delay for at least half hour,” the official added.
Road restrictions will be put in place from Tuesday to Friday in large parts of central Delhi ahead of Republic Day celebrations and a summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
Metro commuters will not be allowed to board and get off trains at four stations — Kendriya Sachivalaya and Udyog Bhawan between 5am and 12pm; and 7, Lok Kalyan Marg or 7, Race Course Road and Patel Chowk from 8.45am till noon on Tuesday.
The stretch between Punjabi Bagh to Rajouri Garden also witnessed a jam from 8:30am after a truck broke down near the ESI Hospital in Raja Garden, the traffic police said on Twitter.
An official said that the borders will be closed for commercial vehicles from 10pm onwards on January 25 while on January 26, the same route from Vijay Chowk to Raj Ghat will be closed for the Republic Day Parade.
More traffic curbs are likely on Wednesday and Thursday when leaders of 10 ASEAN countries will move from the airport to their hotels in central Delhi and later to the summit venues — the Taj Diplomatic Enclave hotel on Sardar Patel Marg and the Pravasi Bharatiya Kendra in Chanakyapuri.
The road restrictions will be lifted from 7pm on Wednesday till midnight. No route will be completely closed to the public on Wednesday and Thursday, but commuters could be stopped for some time to let the dignitaries pass.
In a first, the 69th Republic Day celebrations will be attended by the 10 chief guests - the heads of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. India will host leaders from Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos and Brunei.