After difficult Monday, more traffic woes likely today

While commuters had a harried time commuting on Monday due to traffic restrictions placed in central Delhi and some parts of south Delhi owing to the visit of Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, Tuesday could even be worse.

While traffic restrictions in central Delhi would continue to remain till noon, traffic would also be hit during the morning and evening hours on some of the arterial roads near ITO. This is owning to the death anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and the IPL match at Kotla ground.

While several arterial roads near India Gate and Sardar Patel Marg would continue to remain out of bounds till around 1.30 pm on Tuesday, traffic restritions would be imposed on roads like Bhairon Marg, Mathura Road and Ring Road. Top leaders of the Central government and Congress party are likely to visit Vir Bhumi near Raj Ghat in the morning, traffic police officials said.

Due to VVIP movement, the traffic police have advised people to avoid areas including India C-Hexagon, Ring Road, Mathura Road and Sardar Patel Marg. “Sardar Patel Marg would be opened for traffic by 1.30 pm. Till then the motorists moving from central Delhi to Dhaula Kuan are advised to use the ridge road. Since the Ridge Road is not that wide, they could also use Moti Bagh road,” said Anil Shukla, additional commissioner of police (traffic).

On Monday, traffic jams were witnessed on roads leading to Connaught Place from all directions well past noon. The Chinese Premier’s visit to Rajghat in the morning led to traffic troubles on Vikas Marg, ITO, Ring Road and Matura Road near Pragati Maidan as well. The fact that four Metro stations in central Delhi remained closed during the morning peak hour added to the woes of commuters. 

While traffic police officials said the control room recieved only 10 distress calls till 10.40 am, commuters who were left stranded due to traffic jam said they took hours to reach their destination.

“I usually reach my office in Connaught Place from Noida in around 40 minutes. But it took me 40 minutes to reach my office from Akshardham. That too becuase I was riding a bike. I somehow drove through the non-motorised vehicle lane to get pass the long traffic jam on Sarai Kale Khan bridge and Ring Road,” said Rajesh Tiwari, a banker.