Navratri begins, and so does road congestion | New roads, fancy flyovers, route expansion but the traffic situation in the national Capital remains horrific. Due to the exponential growth of vehicular population, or poor traffic management, commuters are spending more time in their vehicles, including both private and public. Traffic comes to a standstill when a ‘VIP movement’ takes place. Major roads such as those in Lutyens’ Zone, Sardar Patel Marg, Dhaula Kuan, RTR, Mathura Road, Tilak Marg, Bahadur Shah Marg, have remained a traffic nightmare for the past three decades. The festive season sees the highest number of traffic jams in the national Capital. The Pioneer begins a campaign on the crisis that unfolds on the city roads with a deep dive into the traffic around the temples in the city on the first day of Navratri, and Durga Puja festivities.

From Mehrauli-Badarpur road to Vikas Marg and Jhandewalan, Najafgarh to Peeragarhi, commuters in Delhi had harrowing experiences during the peak hours on the first day of the Navratri festival in the national Capital. However, according to frequent road users, this traffic stagnation is a routine affair. Wrecked roads, potholes, breakdown of vehicles, high volume of traffic and poor maintenance of major stretches result in massive jams.

On Thursday,  the first day of the Navratri festivities, heavy traffic exacerbated congestion on all roads leading to prominent temples including Jhandewalan, Kalkaji, Maa Katyani Devi mandir in the national capital. The situation worsens each year as according to experts, while road size and capacity remains the same, the number of vehicles has grown exponentially. 

The vehicle movement was also badly affected on Vikas Marg in the carriageway from Karkari Mor towards Preet Vihar and vice-versa, due to ongoing work being carried out by Delhi Jal Board (DJB) at Preet Vihar Red Light and Najafgarh Road and Old Pankha Road in both the carriageways due to ongoing work being carried out by DJB at Old Pankha Road.

Commuters had a harrowing experience on GTK Road on both the carriageways from Jahangirpuri to Azadpur flyover as the entire traffic came to standstill for two-three hours due to heavy vehicles movement in Azadpur Mandi.

According to a traffic police advisory, traffic was affected on Maa Anandmai Marg in the carriageway from ESI Hospital towards Govind Puri due to breakdown of a bus at Crown Plaza Red Light. Traffic was affected on Ring Road in the carriageway from DND towards Ashram Chowk due to breakdown of a water tanker on Maharani Bagh Flyover.

A loaded truck near Peeragarhi flyover broke down which led to massive jam on the Main Outer Ring Road in the carriageway from Madhuban Chowk towards Peeragarhi.

Traffic was also affected on Rohtak Road in the carriageway from Nangloi towards Tikri Border and vice versa due to potholes and water logging.

There was a traffic jam on the SSN Marg in the carriageway from Satbari towards Mehrauli due to drain work being carried out by civic agency. Commuters were advised to plan their journey accordingly. “Traffic remained affected on Dwarka Palam Road in the carriageway from Palam Flyover towards IOC Red light due to breakdown of a bus on Palam flyover.

Kindly plan your journey accordingly. Traffic was affected on Mathura Road in the carriageway from Badarpur towards Sarita Vihar due to breakdown of a truck near Aali Village”, traffic police advisory stated.  According to traffic police, breakdown of vehicles during peak hours on major roads is also an issue that leads to traffic jams.

Roads leading to the Jhandewalan temple and Shri Adhya Katyayani Shaktipeeth temple witnessed heavy traffic flow on the first day of Navratri festival.

Heavy traffic flow around the Jhandewalan temple  affected both carriageways of Rani Jhansi Road, Faiz Road, New Rohtak Road and DBG Road, and traffic flow around Shri Adhya Katyayani Shaktipith Mandir is likely to affect Chattarpur Mandir Road, CDR Chowk on MG Road, Mandi Village exit on MG Road, Mandi Road, Andheria Mor on MG Road, Anuvrat Marg, 100 Feet Road, 60 Feet Road, MainChattarpur Road and the adjoining Y-junction. Currently, PWD is repairing a 3.5-kilometre-long stretch of the Outer Ring Road from Chirag Delhi to Modi Mills, which is affecting the traffic movement.

In an advisory for commuters heading to Kalkaji temple from October 3 to 13 - the Dussehra period - police said traffic on both carriageways of the road from Nehru Place to Modi Mills will be affected.”Commuters going to IGI Airport, New Delhi, Old Delhi and Nizamuddin railway station, and ISBTs should leave with sufficient time in hand to accommodate possible delays on the route. Avail public transport to help decongestion of roads. Park your vehicles only at designated parking lots and avoid roadside parking as it causes hindrance to normal flow traffic,” traffic police stated.