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Traffic restrictions in central Delhi ahead of Rahul Gandhi’s appearance before ED
The traffic police did not specify the exact reason behind the restrictions and other arrangements in central Delhi
NEW DELHI: Authorities announced traffic restrictions in central Delhi and deployed additional police forces at Congress headquarters and Enforcement Directorate (ED) office ahead of Rahul Gandhi’s appearance before the federal probe agency on Monday. Permission was earlier on Sunday denied to Congress for a rally.
In a tweet, the Delhi Traffic Police cited the restrictions and asked the public to avoid certain roads in central Delhi between 7 am and noon on Monday due to “the special traffic arrangements”. The police did not specify the exact reason behind the restrictions and other arrangements. A Delhi Police officer said the arrangements have been made in view of the protests the Congress has called for.
In tweets posted between 4.35 am and 4.42 am, the police asked motorists to avoid Gol Methi junction, Tughlak Road Junction, Claridges Junction, Q-point Junction, Sunehri Masjid Junction, Maulana Azad Road Junction, and Man Singh Road Junction. “Due to special arrangements there will be heavy traffic movement on these roads.”
The police asked commuters to also avoid Motilal Nehru Marg, Akbar Road, Janpath, and Man Singh Road as traffic movement will not be possible. “Due to special traffic arrangements inwards movement of buses will be restricted in New Delhi beyond Gol Dak Khana Junction, Patel Chowk, Windsor Place, Teen Murti Chowk, Prithviraj Road.”
There is usually heavy traffic during morning peak hours, especially on Mondays, as people commute to their offices and return to Delhi after spending their weekend outside the city, said a police officer.
“Since the rally was scheduled the same morning, permission was denied on Sunday. We have made elaborate security and traffic arrangements in central Delhi. Additional traffic personnel have been deployed to ensure smooth flow of traffic and lesser inconvenience to motorists. We have also deployed extra force to deal with people coming for the rally,” said the officer, who asked not to be named.
Around 7.30 am, Congress workers began arriving at the Congress headquarters to join the protest march. But they were detained and bundled in a police bus as they shouted slogans in support of Gandhi.
ED has summoned Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in a money-laundering case. Sonia Gandhi was initially summoned on June 8, but she contracted Covid-19 and sought a fresh date. ED has now called her on June 23.
Rahul Gandhi has called the charges against them “fake and baseless” as Congress announced a march from party’s headquarters to ED’s office.
According to a Congress insider, all members of Parliament and senior leaders were last week asked to take part in the march.
