Protests by the BJP and the AAP a few hundred metres apart on the DDU Marg here left commuters stranded in long traffic jams in Central Delhi as police barricaded roads and diverted vehicles. Bumper-to-bumper traffic was also witnessed on the National Highway-24 and National Highway-9 near Akshardham. There were long jams near India Gate, Bahadurshah Zafar Marg, Minto Road near Connaught Place, NH-24, Kashmeri Gate ISBT, road connecting Anand Vihar to Shahdara border, Marginal Pusta Bund road,Mathura road. The commuters also posted on X on the heavy traffic at Sarai Kale Khan, on Vikas Marg near Preet Vihar and at Dayanand Vihar. The traffic was also affected near Town Hall Chadni Chowk.
Commuters in Central, East and north Delhi faced major disruptions as traffic movement was restricted on Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Marg due to ongoing demonstrations by AAP and BJP workers. While the AAP staged a protest outside the BJP headquarters over alleged cheating in the Chandigarh mayoral polls, the BJP protested near the AAP’s head office against “corruption” in the Kejriwal government. The police official said arrangements have been made in such a way that the workers of both the parties cannot come face-to-face. The headquarters of both the parties are on the Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya (DDU) Marg and the distance between them is less than 800 metres.
“As the DDU Marg has been barricaded between ITO Chowk intersection and Minto Road crossing, traffic is being diverted on alternate routes for commuters travelling to and from New Delhi railway station from Ajmeri Gate side. Those coming from eastern parts of Delhi, Ghaziabad, and Noida or Sarai Kale Khan side are being asked to reach the railway station either via Delhi Gate or from Connaught Place circle,” said a police officer. The officer added traffic personnel have been developed in sufficient numbers to assist commuters.
There was bumper-to-bumper traffic on Vikas Marg connecting central Delhi with east Delhi via Laxmi Nagar, the Ring Road from Sarai Kale Khan and Delhi-Meerut Expressway, the Delhi-Noida Direct flyway, Pragati Maidan tunnel, Purana Quila Road, Mathura Road towards ITO Chowk from Delhi Zoo, Netaji Subhash Marg from Daryaganj towards the ITO Chowk, and Jawahar Lal Nehru Marg from the Ring Road towards Ajmeri Gate.
With barricades put up on several areas in Central Delhi, other roads too saw bumper-to-bumper traffic. “Diversions have been made for smooth flow of traffic. We are witnessing traffic on GT Karnal road and some parts of central Delhi. Staff have been deputed to manage the traffic jams,” a senior official of the Delhi traffic police said.
No traffic advisory regarding the traffic diversions or closure of the DDU Marg was issued until Friday afternoon. The social media handles of the traffic police were responding to the complaints regarding traffic disruptions.
