Commuters stuck for hours amid AI summit restrictions
For the fourth consecutive day, commuters in Delhi complained on Wednesday of traffic snarls across various parts of the Capital, with some alleging they had been “stuck for hours” owing to peak-hour jams as special restrictions were enforced for the AI Impact Summit 2026 at Bharat Mandapam. The curbs were imposed due to the movement of VVIPs between Bharat Mandapam, the airport, and other key locations in the Capital.
The Delhi Traffic Police had announced restrictions in two time slots, from 7.30 am to 10 am and from 5 pm to 9 pm. The impact was visible throughout the day. The evening rush hour saw long traffic snarls across Lutyens’ Delhi.
A massive traffic jam was reported on Prithviraj Road on Thursday morning following movement restrictions linked to the summit. Vehicles moved slowly on key stretches. Visuals from Sunehri Bagh and Sansad Marg showed cars crawling bumper to bumper. Several important roads were affected. These included Sardar Patel Marg, Mother Teresa Crescent, Teen Murti Marg, and Akbar Road. Janpath and Windsor Place also witnessed restrictions.
Tees January Marg, Prithviraj Road, and Rajesh Pilot Marg saw heavy congestion. Subrahmaniam Bharti Marg was also impacted. Mathura Road, between Lodhi Flyover and Dr Dinesh Chandra Dalmia Chowk, experienced long delays.
Traffic was restricted on Bhairon Marg and Shanti Path. Africa Avenue and Satya Marg, between Yashwant Place and Shanti Path, were also affected. Dr. Zakir Hussain Marg, Gurugram Road, and Parade Road remained under watch due to VVIP movement. Many commuters reported being stuck for long periods due to sudden stoppages.
Rohit, who was travelling from South Delhi to Connaught Place, said his usual 30-minute drive took over an hour. “We were halted near Teen Murti for a long time. There was no movement,” he said. Neha Verma, heading towards the airport, said traffic came to a complete stop near Sardar Patel Marg. “Police cleared the road for a convoy. All vehicles were waiting,” she said.
The chaos was not limited to Thursday. On February 18, a social media user posted on X about similar delays. The user wrote, “Delhi traffic at its worst! Left Noida at 2 PM for Airport Terminal 1. Traffic has been stopped near AIIMS for the past 30 minutes due to VIP movement. It’s still showing another hour to reach the airport.” Many residents said the situation on Thursday felt similar to Wednesday. Office-goers and airport-bound passengers faced long waiting times.
The traffic police had earlier issued an advisory asking commuters to plan their journeys in advance. People were told to avoid affected stretches and follow instructions given by personnel on duty. Alternate routes were suggested to reduce inconvenience.
These included San Martin Marg, Panchsheel Marg, and Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Road. Kamal Ataturk Marg and Aurobindo Marg were also advised. Lodhi Road, Barapullah Road, and Ring Road were listed as diversion options. Tilak Marg, Feroz Shah Road, Rafi Marg, and Sansad Marg were also recommended.
K Kamraj Marg, South Avenue Road, and Vandematram Marg were suggested as alternatives. For Gurugram-bound traffic, NH-48, Rao Tula Ram Marg, Old Delhi-Gurugram Road, UER-II, and the NH-48 service road were advised. Despite these measures, congestion spread to parts of South and East Delhi. Traffic police personnel were deployed at major intersections.
