Delhi traffic advisory on Aug 13 for I-Day rehearsal: Key Red Fort roads closed; check routes, diversions

According to the Delhi Traffic Police advisory, roads around the Red Fort will remain closed to general traffic from 4 am to 10 am.

Traffic restrictions will be put in place in parts of Delhi on Wednesday in view of the full-dress rehearsal for Independence Day celebration at the Red Fort, according to an advisory released by the traffic police.

Apart from roads around the Red Fort, the vehicles which do not have parking labels would also need to avoid C- Hexagon India Gate, Copernicus Marg, Mandi House, and more routes. (PTI)

According to the Delhi Traffic Police advisory, roads around the Red Fort will remain closed to general traffic from 4 am to 10 am, with only vehicles carrying valid rehearsal labels to be permitted on these routes.

“A full dress rehearsal for the arrangement will be conducted on 13th August 2026. As such for the convenience of public and security reasons, certain traffic restrictions have been imposed around the Red Fort on 13th August 2026,” the advisory stated.

Road closures, diversions: Traffic advisory for Aug 13

The routes around Red Fort which will be affected between 4 am and 10 am on Wednesday are:

📌Netaji Subhash Marg from Delhi Gate to Chatta Rail Chowk.

📌Lothian Road from GPO Delhi to Chatta Rail Chowk.

📌S.P. Mukherjee Marg from H.C. Sen Marg to Yamuna Bazar Chowk.

📌Chandni Chowk Road from Fountain Chowk to Red Fort.

📌Nishad Raj Marg from Ring Road to Netaji Subhash Marg.

📌Esplanade Road and its Link Road to Netaji Subhash Marg.

📌Ring Road from Rajghat to ISBT.

Apart from roads around the Red Fort, the vehicles which do not have parking labels would also need to avoid C- Hexagon India Gate, Copernicus Marg, Mandi House, Sikandra Road, W Point, A point Tilak Marg, Mathura Road, BSZ Marg, Netaji Subhash Marg, J.L. Nehru Marg. Commuters would also need to avoid the Ring Road between Nizamuddin Khatta and ISBT Kashmiri Gate & Outer Ring Road from Nizamuddin Khatta & ISBT Kashmiri Gate via Salimgarh bypass.

Restrictions on commercial transport, movement of city buses

According to the advisory, the movement of goods vehicles will be restricted between Nizamuddin Khatta and Wazirabad Bridge from midnight on August 12 until 11 am on August 13. Interstate buses will not be allowed between Maharana Pratap ISBT and Sarai Kale Khan ISBT during the same period.

Local buses, including DTC buses, will not operate on Ring Road between ISBT Kashmere Gate and the NH-24/NH-9 or NH 'T' point at Nizamuddin Khatta from midnight to 11 am and will take alternative routes. Buses normally terminating at Red Fort, Jama Masjid and Delhi Main Railway Station will be curtailed at designated points. Normal bus services will resume after 11 am on August 13.

Alternative routes

The advisory suggested alternative routes for commuters.

📌It said that for north-south movement, commuters can use Aurobindo Marg, Safdarjung Road, Kamal Ataturk Marg, Kautilya Marg, S Marg, 11 Murti, Mother Teresa Crescent, Park Street, Mandir Marg, Panchkuian Road and Rani Jhansi Road.

📌It suggested another alternative route through Connaught Place, Minto Road, Bhavbhuti Marg, Ajmeri Gate, Shradhanand Marg, Lahori Gate Chowk, Naya Bazar, Peeli Kothi and S.P. Mukherjee Marg up to ODRS to reach their destination in North Delhi and vice versa.

📌Motorists can also cross the Yamuna through Nizamuddin Bridge and take Pushta Road, GT Road and Yudhister Setu to reach ISBT and northern Delhi, according to the advisory.

Meanwhile, for east-west movement, the traffic police suggested:

📌Routes through NH-24/NH-9, Nizamuddin Khatta, Barapulla Road and Ring Road.

📌DND- Barapulla Road further as per 1 above OR via Ashram on Ring Road and proceed accordingly.

📌Route via NH-24 (NH-9) Yudhister Setu-Signature Bridge-Wazirabad Bridge.