Kanwar Yatra traffic chokes national Capital roads amid heavy rain

Long lines of cars, groups of Kanwariyas on motorcycles and on foot, crowded markets and roadside Kanwar camps marked several parts of Delhi on Monday as the annual pilgrimage entered its penultimate day.

At several places, commuters found themselves moving slowly through stretches already busy with regular traffic, while groups of pilgrims made their way towards their destinations carrying Kanwars — decorated bamboo poles with containers of Ganga water suspended from them.

Residents reported long queues on Radhakrishnan Marg and Abai Marg and on the stretch between LSR College and Nehru Place.

Traffic was also slow near the Savitri flyover towards Chirag Delhi, while a gathering at a Kanwar camp near Shri Shiv Hanuman Mandir in Sector 2, Rohini, added to congestion in the area. At some place, there was a chaos on the roads.

The roads around some of the camps had a different scene, with groups of devotees gathered under temporary shelters, saffron flags bearing images of Hindu deities fluttering above them and Kanwariyas stopping along the route before continuing their journey.

Several pilgrims were seen travelling on motorcycles or walking in groups, carrying their kanwars on their shoulders. Their movement, along with the gatherings around camps and increased pedestrian activity in markets, affected the flow of regular traffic at several locations.

In Greater Kailash, traffic near the Archana Complex red light was affected by ongoing road-divider construction, residents said. Near the Main Uttam Nagar red light, commuters complained that e-rickshaws, rehri-patri vendors and flower shops had occupied portions of the road.

Residents mentioned the encroachments narrowed the available carriageway, with vehicles having limited space to pass and emergency vehicles also facing difficulty in moving through the stretch.

On the Delhi-Ghaziabad side, traffic was reported to be slow near the Delhi-Meerut Expressway around Patparganj amid heavy rain. A video shared by commuters showed a car travelling on the wrong side of the road, prompting concerns over the safety of other motorists.

The Delhi Traffic Police had earlier warned of congestion on several routes because of the movement of Kanwariyas, particularly around Kalindi Kunj junction, the Okhla Barrage Road and the Noida-Kalindi Kunj Road.

The advisory came as the final days of the pilgrimage brought increased movement of devotees through Delhi and neighbouring areas. Traffic movement around Kalindi Kunj was expected to remain affected till August 12 due to the movement of pilgrims and ongoing road repair work on the Okhla Barrage-Kalindi Kunj stretch.

The police had also announced the closure of GT Road between Apsara Border and Yamuna Bridge for general traffic on August 11 and 12 and advised commuters to use alternate routes, including NH-9 and NH-44.

Rain added another layer to Monday’s traffic situation, with several parts of the city receiving showers and residents reporting slow movement on busy roads.

Mayur Vihar recorded the highest rainfall at 37 mm, followed by Mungeshpur at 21 mm, Pusa at 4 mm and Narayana at 3 mm till 4.15 pm, according to the India Meteorological Department.

Delhi recorded 230.5 mm of rainfall in the first 10 days of August till 8.30 am, followed by another 4 mm between 8.30 am and 5.30 pm on Monday, taking the total rainfall to 234.5 mm and pushing it past the monthly average of 233.1 mm.

According to the IMD, Mayur Vihar recorded the highest rainfall at 37 mm, followed by Mungeshpur at 21 mm, Pusa at 4 mm and Narayana at 3 mm till 4.15 pm.

At Safdarjung, Delhi’s base weather station, 4 mm of rain was recorded between 8.30 am and 5.30 pm. Lodhi Road and the Ridge recorded 4.8 mm and 6.8 mm of rainfall, respectively, during the period. Palam received trace rainfall, while no rain was recorded at Ayanagar.

The IMD has forecast light to moderate rain in Delhi till August 16 and warned of heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places.

The Kanwar Yatra, which began on July 30, will conclude on Tuesday on the occasion of Shivratri.