Barricades, checks, diversions: Central lanes choke amid protest call
Amid the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) call for a protest at Jantar Mantar on Saturday, Delhi Police imposed traffic restrictions on most roads leading to Central Delhi, especially Jantar Mantar and Parliament Street, from early morning, with barricades, vehicle checks and diversions slowing movement on several roads.
At every road leading to the protest site, police personnel, along with paramilitary forces, were seen deployed in large numbers to monitor traffic and prevent any gathering in the vicinity. Though the footfall was low in the city, heavy traffic congestion was reported across several parts of central Delhi due to tightened security arrangements.
Apart from curbs, police are also conducting searches at various spots and key stretches leading to the protest site, which has caused congestion.
While senior officials maintain they are ensuring no trouble for regular commuters, traffic around Central Delhi is moving very slowly. Forces manned the barricades to closely monitor vehicular movement across the capital. They checked ID cards and other documents before allowing entry to those having offices in central Delhi.
The heightened security came amid traffic curbs, metro restrictions, train cancellations and a mobile internet suspension in central and other parts of the national capital to “maintain law and order” in view of the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) call for a protest on Saturday demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
The entry was restricted at stretches including Connaught Place, Ashoka Road-Jantar Mantar Road roundabout, Tolstoy Marg-Janpath crossing, Jai Singh Road-Sansad Marg crossing, Rail Bhawan rounda-bout, Patel Chowk, Gol Dak Khana, Windsor Place, Mandi House, the Chelmsford Road-Sansad Marg intersections, the Barakhamba Road intersection and the Minto Road-Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg junction.
The restrictions further included Bharion Road-Mahatma Gandhi Marg intersection, Lodhi Road flyover, Neela Gumbad roundabout, Madarsa T-point, Samrat Hotel roundabout, Sardar Patel Marg-Panchsheel Marg crossing, the underpasses beneath the Bhikaji Cama Place and Moti Bagh flyovers, and the Ring Road-San Martin Marg intersection.
The diversions, which began at 6 am, will be regulated based on the prevailing law-and-order situation.
According to the traffic advisory, the affected stretches include the Ashoka Road-Jantar Mantar Road roundabout, Tolstoy Marg-Janpath crossing, Jai Singh Road-Sansad Marg crossing, Rail Bhawan roundabout, Patel Chowk, Gol Dak Khana and Windsor Place.
Traffic movement may also be affected at Mandi House, the Chelmsford Road and Sansad Marg intersections with Connaught Place’s outer circle, the Barakhamba Road intersection and the Minto Road-Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg junction. Other locations include the Chelmsford Road-Connaught Place outer circle intersection,
Bharion Road-Mahatma Gandhi Marg intersection, Lodhi Road flyover, Neela Gumbad roundabout, Madarsa T-point, Samrat Hotel roundabout, Sardar Patel Marg-Panchsheel Marg crossing, the underpasses beneath the Bhikaji Cama Place and Moti Bagh flyovers, and the Ring Road-San Martin Marg intersection.
Visuals showed a heavy police presence around the protest site early in the morning, with personnel stationed along the roads and at barricades across the city. Traffic continued to move smoothly as police kept a close watch on vehicles entering and leaving the area, stopping and checking some cars.
Commuters have been advised to avoid non-essential travel and allow extra time for their journeys. Those travelling to railway stations, inter-state bus terminals or the airport through New Delhi and central Delhi have been asked to plan accordingly.
