The areas most affected include South, South West and Central Delhi

As the National Capital region grapples with high volumes of vehicles, leading to traffic congestion due to the festive season, commuters will have to be ready to face some of the worst traffic this weekend. The areas most affected include South, South West and Central Delhi thanks to a two day-live concert of renowned actor and singer Diljit Dosanjh who has brought his “Dil Luminati” tour to town. Then there is a massive satsang gathering at Chattarpur. Delhi Traffic Police have advised people  to use public transport to avoid congestion on roads.

In view of Diljit Dosanjh’s live concert at Jawaharlal Nehru stadium for two days beginning from Saturday, traffic police have advised commuters to avoid BP Marg, Lodhi Road, Lala Lajpat Rai Road and roads connecting around Nehru stadium. According to the traffic police advisory,  adequate traffic arrangements have been made for diversion and regulation of traffic. To ease congestion, the police have advised general people and motorists are also advised to use public transport. Dosanjh has performed in Canada, US, England, New Zealand, Italy and Australia. Interestingly, Dosanjh’s fans will have to pay Rs 12,999 for the gold (standing) category to watch him perform live at Jawaharlal Nehru stadium. The ‘fan pit’ passes are priced at Rs 19,999, while standing lounge area access will cost Rs 60,000. Meanwhile, tickets for the ‘MIP lounge’, a seating area, will be available for Rs 55,000.

Meanwhile, people of Delhi and NCR have been facing harrowing traffic jams these days as roads here are often five to six times the capacity they can handle. Illegal parking, unregulated auto rickshaws, broken roads, breakdown of vehicles and encroachment on roads are issues, plaguing the traffic in Delhi. Besides, traffic police seem to be helpless to handle it.

According to the advisory, the Satsang congregation will be held from 4 am to 6 pm at Chattarpur, Mehrauli from Friday to Sunday. Around three to four lakh people are expected to attend the event. Around 80,000 devotees generally stay overnight at the satsang complex, while the remaining commutes in the morning from different parts of Delhi and NCR from 5 am and leave by 6 pm for which elaborate traffic arrangements have been made, the advisory said.

Entry to the satsang complex is from Bhati Mines Road for all devotees and all types of vehicles. All invitees and devotees intending to go to the satsang complex are advised to reach before 6 am to avoid congestion enroute. The organisers have made separate entries for different categories of vehicles and visitors, it stated.

Devotees coming from Faridabad and Gurugram are advised to reach the complex, Bhati Mines via Dera Border to avoid any inconvenience. Restrictions on plying of heavy transport vehicle on Bhati Mines road between Chattarpur Road (SSN Marg) - Gurgaon Road T- Point and satsang complex will remain effective from Friday to Sunday between 4 am to 6.30 pm to avoid any traffic blockage, it said, adding that the general public is hereby advised to avoid Chattarpur Road (SSN Marg) during 4 am to 6.30 pm.

Besides this, a large number of breakdown of buses / commercial vehicles have further added woes to the commuters here. Friday also witnessed the breakdown of vehicles during the peak hours.

To deal with frequent bus breakdowns that choke traffic, the Delhi Traffic Police and the transport department have created a WhatsApp group for swift removal of the stranded vehicles. According to a senior traffic police officer who is a member of this group, if a bus broke down earlier, the process of locating it and sending a mechanic for repairs would take hours.

It was mandatory that the mechanics were from the same depot as the bus. This caused delays in the mechanic reaching the breakdown spot if it was far from the depot.

After the WhatsApp group was formed, the transport department changed its strategy and started sending help from the depot nearest to the breakdown spot. Once the repair work is done, the official concerned updates the status of breakdown in the group. “With this group, it becomes easier for us to identify and locate the place of breakdown,” police officials said.

The Delhi Transport Corporation has a fleet of 7,582 buses. Of these, 2,644 were procured by the state-owned public transporter between 2007 and 2010.  “With this group, it becomes easier for us to identify and locate the place of breakdown. Our ground staff immediately alerts us and we put a photo of the bus with the driver’s contact on the group,” a traffic assistant commissioner of police who is also a member of this group said.

The group includes all depot managers, service providers, traffic police assistant commissioners, deputy commissioners, transport commissioner and other senior transport department members. The depot managers get to know about the breakdown and the one closest to the spot immediately sends help. The traffic personnel concerned regulate traffic till the bus gets repaired or removed by the transport department. Once the work is done, it is also updated on the group, the traffic police officer said.

Special Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Ajay Chaudhary said the cooperation between the two departments led to fruitful results, with the average time for locating the bus and reaching the spot coming down.  “We are committed to streamline the system and provide hassle-free transportation,” he said.