Office-goers faced a harrowing time across several parts of the national Capital as well as on the Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway on Monday as large number of kanwarias occupied most of the carriageways on major roads. Every year during the Hindu lunar month of Shravana, kanwarias carry Ganga water from Haridwar and pass through Delhi travelling on foot to offer the same at Shiva temples in different locations.
Despite elaborate arrangements made by the Traffic Police, long tailbacks were witnessed in several parts of the city, including Vikaspuri, Delhi Cantonment, lajpat Nagar, Gokulpuri, Rani Jhansi Road, Mathura Road, NH-8, NH-24, Faiz Road, Wazirabad Road, Seelampur T-point, Ring Road, Kalindi Kunj, and various other locations.
According to traffic officials, traffic woes for commuters due to movement of kanwarias are expected to continue till the month-end. “Traffic movement will remain slow till July 31, 2016 on Faiz Road from New Rohtak Road T-Point to Bagga link road due to kanwarias movement,” the Traffic Police tweeted.
The Delhi Police has made elaborate arrangements to segregate the movement of kanwarias and other road users to minimise inconvenience to the general public and devotees, said a senior police official.
“The devotees and road users are advised to follow the traffic rules and obey the directions of policemen on duty. During this period of kanwaria movement traffic violations will be checked by on the spot prosecution and by photography/videography of violations which will be followed by prosecution,” said Garima Bhatnagar, Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic).
In Gurgaon, congestion was reported for several hours on the two-kilometre Expressway stretch from Sirhaul Toll Plaza to Exit 6 on IFFCO Chowk towards Gurgaon. long queues of vehicles were seen at the entry and exit points along the Expressway where half of the service lane was dedicated for pilgrim movement. Traffic snarl was also reported from Udyog Vihar to Signature Tower leading to cascading effect on the internal roads connecting to NH-8.
Every year due to the movement of kanwarias and setting up of kanwaria camps on road sides, traffic congestion is experienced at several places. Generally heavy traffic congestion occurs on Rani Jhansi Road from Barafkhana Chowk to Fire Station, Boulevard Road and at Azad Market Chowk. Heavy traffic congestion is also observed at Khajuri Chowk, Gokalpuri Flyover, 66 Foota Road, Maujpur Chowk, Babarpur ‘T’ Point, Bhajanpura Chowk, Keshav Chowk and Dharampura ‘T’ Point, Mathura Road.
Similarly, traffic congestion is experienced on NH-8 from Dhaula Kuan Metro station upto Rajokari Border. Traffic Police said that due to diversion of vehicular traffic, bound for Apsara Border and Maharajpur Border to Ghazipur, by the UP Police, there will also be congestion on NH 24.
“Motorists are advised to plan their movement in advance to avoid inconvenience and delay,” traffic officials said.