Traffic moved at a snail's pace near Jawaharlal Nehru (JLN) Stadium in central Delhi on Saturday as thousands of fans turned up to attend Punjabi singer Diljit Dosanjh's concert.More than 3,000 security personnel have been deployed to maintain law and order, police officials said.Traffic crawled in areas around the stadium, including Lodhi Road.
In a post on X, a commuter said that due to heavy traffic, it took him two hours to cover the stretch from the Lodhi Road flyover to Chirag Delhi.A fan outside JLN Stadium said she has attended many music concerts but is very excited about Dosanjh's first concert in India.
Dosanjh kicked off his "Dil-Luminati India Tour 2024" with his concerts in Delhi.The concerts, scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, became one of the most awaited musical events of the year, marking the singer's return to India after the grand success of his shows in North America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand.
With gates scheduled to open at 5:30 PM, there was a huge gathering of fans, eager to witness the unparalleled energy and star power of one of India's most beloved artists, outside the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, which has a capacity of over 60,000 seats.The fans' excitement was palpable even before the show began.
"It's an amazing vibe, and people have been waiting for the last half hour, so the craze is full on. And as he said, ‘Punjabi aa gaye oye,' it really feels like he's come back home. We're enjoying it," said one fan."There used to be fights back in the day, and the same is happening today because we weren't getting tickets. We had to request some of our friends to help us get them."
Another fan shared his anticipation for the event and said, "Really excited. We've been waiting for this event for the past month, and finally, the day has come, so it feels good."
For some fans, the wait has been even longer. "I've been waiting for two months. I got the tickets on the first try, so now I'm just waiting for the gates to open and to enjoy myself. My excitement level, on a scale from 1 to 100, is 110," said an enthusiastic concert-goer.
Others felt fortunate to secure tickets amid the heavy demand. "It was pure luck that I got the tickets. My favourite Diljit song is with Gurdas Maan, ‘Ki Banu Duniya Da', and my current favourite song is ‘Born to Shine'," said a fan.
There were also those who were willing to go through the struggle just to witness their favourite singer. "I struggled for nine hours on Zomato Live to get some tickets, and I finally got one. My girlfriend has the other ticket, but she's sitting on the other side. We're in two different rows," said a concert-goer.
Delhi's concert-goers are especially in for a treat, as the city will witness not just one but two shows. The second date was added after the first show sold out within minutes. It is almost sold out as well, with only lounge tickets available priced between Rs 32,000 and Rs 60,000.
Organised by Ripple Effect Studios and Saregama India, with Zomato Live handling ticketing, the tour has already smashed records, becoming the fastest-selling and highest-grossing concert event in Indian history.
Dosanjh, who has enthralled music aficionados globally with hit tracks such as "Jatt Da Pyaar", "Raat Di Gedi", "Patiala Peg", "Do You Know", "5 Taara Theka" and "Laembadgini", announced his arrival in Delhi in a post on Instagram on Friday."Delhi Ka Mausam Kya Keh Raha Hai. DIL-LUMINATI TOUR Year 24," he posted alongside photos from the plane and at the airport.
In another post on Saturday, the 40-year-old musician shared a video from the stadium and is seen inspecting the arrangements ahead of the concert. "All set for tonight," he captioned the video. Ahead of the shows, the Delhi Traffic Police issued an advisory for the general public.
"We are expecting around 35,000 people to come for the event. Elaborate security arrangements have been made in and around the stadium," a senior police officer said.
More than 3,000 security personnel have been deployed in and around the stadium. Paramilitary forces, including a company of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), have also been deployed, the officials said.
Policemen in plain clothes have been deployed to keep an eye on activities inside the stadium and a large number of CCTV cameras have been installed in and around the venue, they said.
On Friday, police had issued a traffic advisory informing commuters about road closures and traffic diversions.
According to the advisory, the movement of heavy motor vehicles from JLN Stadium Red Light to Whole BP Marg would be restricted on Saturday and Sunday from 4 pm to 11 pm.
