Delhi cops block expressway, leads to 7-km traffic backlog

Commuters travelling on the Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway on Friday evening faced a heavy traffic jam on Friday evening, as the Delhi traffic police barricaded portions

Commuters travelling on the Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway on Friday evening faced a heavy traffic jam on Friday evening, as the Delhi traffic police barricaded portions of the main carriageway and service lanes of the roads leading from Gurugram to Delhi, near the Sirhaul toll plaza.

HT Image

Such was the congestion that the backlog from the Sirhaul toll plaza stretched for almost seven kilometres, till Signature Towers, due to which commuters were delayed by 40-55 minutes.

According to the Gurugram traffic police officials, the placement of jersey barriers by Delhi traffic police took place around 5.30pm. The two extreme lanes of the eight-lane carriageway and two lanes, of the four, of the service road, next to the pedestrian subway at Rajokri, were blocked as a result and the movement of vehicles started slowing down, leading to the backlog.

“Around 5pm, there was VVIP movement next to Mahipalpur, because of which there was congestion on the expressway already. About an hour later, the Delhi traffic police blocked the expressway with barricades, due to which the backlog started extending. Once it spiralled out of control and the backlog stretched beyond Iffco Chowk, we immediately asked the Delhi traffic police to remove the barricades, around 7.30pm, and they obliged,” said assistant sub-inspector Karambir, who is in charge of the Rajiv Chowk-Sirhaul toll plaza portion of the expressway.

Gurugram traffic police officials cautioned commuters about the blockade via social media. Two tweets were posted — one around 5.30pm, cautioning commuters about heavy vehicle pressure at Sirhaul toll plaza, and the other around 7.15pm, mentioning about the blockade by Delhi police — by the police.

“Traffic Alert:- Traffic congestion has been reported on NH-48 towards Delhi due to barricading by Delhi Police at Delhi-Gurugram border. @TrafficGGM is on the spot to facilitate the traffic. Inconvenience caused is highly regretted.” (sic) a tweet by Gurugram traffic police read.

Commuters travelling on the expressway had a horrid time as the jam took place during the evening rush hour, when office-goers were returning home.

“I do not understand how the police can block the main highway. There are lakhs of commuters travelling on it every day, especially during the peak traffic hours. It took me more than an hour to cross the toll from Shankar Chowk today. My ordeal was slightly better than it was two months ago,” said Niharika Sharma, a resident of Lajpat Nagar.

As per a study by the School of Planning and Architecture (SPA) in Delhi, nearly three lakh people travel on the Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway every day.

On December 19, 2019, commuters were stuck on the expressway for nearly five hours after the Delhi Police had set up barricades to stop protesters from reaching planned demonstrations against the Citizen (Amendment) Act (CAA) in the national Capital.

For most of the day, Delhi Police allowed passage of vehicles on only one lane of the main carriageway, towards Delhi.

Officials of the Delhi Police were not available for comment. An official, who requested anonymity, said that the police are unavailable due to preparations for the Delhi elections.