Modi visit and festival rush, brace for snarls

Starting Thursday, commuters should brace for traffic pangs as police, including traffic personnel, would largely be used as part of the elaborate security arrangements for the Prime Minister’s visit to the city on November 1 for the inauguration of Haryana’s golden jubilee celebration.

Starting Thursday, commuters should brace for traffic pangs as police, including traffic personnel, would largely be used as part of the elaborate security arrangements for the Prime Minister’s visit to the city on November 1 for the inauguration of Haryana’s golden jubilee celebration.

More than 4,500 police personnel, including force from other districts, will be deployed at the Tau Devi Lal stadium off the Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway for the event. (Parveen Kumar/HT)

More than 4,500 police personnel, including force from other districts, will be deployed at the Tau Devi Lal stadium off the Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway for the event. The rehearsal of the inaugural event is scheduled to take place on Thursday and Friday, followed by a full-dress rehearsal on Sunday.

Gurgaon police have issued an advisory to commuters to try and avoid roads leading to the stadium, which has already been fortified.

“The rehearsals will continue till Wednesday before the main event is organised on Thursday (November 1). Traffic is expected to remain affected till the event is over,” a police spokesperson said.

This means majority of personnel will be busy with the event and hence less presence on roads, the spokesperson said.

The run-up to the event coinciding with Diwali is expected to multiply the traffic load on roads -- a fact acknowledged by Gurgaon police.

“There has been some traffic congestion on various roads of the city, including Shankar Chowk, because of the festive season. We are trying to normalise it,” the spokesperson said.

The inaugural even of Haryana Day is event is expected to witness a crowd of over 50,000 apart from Prime Minister Narendra Modi -- the chief guest -- chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar, chief ministers of BJP-ruled states, 3,000 VIPs and 800 VVIPs.

When asked about the traffic management for the event, Anand Mohan Sharan, principal resident commissioner, said it has been reviewed and will be taken care of.

“We have reviewed the blue print of the event and will manage traffic accordingly. It would not be much of inconvenience for commuters,” Sharan said.

The Haryana Day celebrations will go on for a year. The preparations for the event have been elaborate and top state officials, including the chief minister and chef secretary visited the city to take stock of arrangements.