Delhi Traffic Police Identifies 62 congestion hotspots across the Capital

A recent survey conducted by the Delhi Traffic Police has identified 62 locations across the city that are prone to severe traffic congestion. Many of these sites are situated near key transit points such as railway stations, metro hubs, and inter-state bus terminals, which experience constant pressure due to a mix of vehicular and pedestrian movement.

Among the most affected areas are Bhavbhuti Marg and Chelmsford Road near New Delhi Railway Station, ISBT Kashmere Gate, and the Anand Vihar railway and bus terminal complex.

“These locations witness an overwhelming mix of private vehicles, public transport, auto-rickshaws, taxis, and e-rickshaws competing for limited road space throughout the day,” a senior traffic police officer noted.

The internal survey was conducted over the past few weeks, incorporating feedback from field personnel as well as CCTV footage analysis. Officials are currently fine-tuning the list before engaging with various civic and infrastructure bodies to propose coordinated decongestion strategies.

Once finalised, the list will be shared with agencies such as the Public Works Department (PWD), Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), and Delhi Development Authority (DDA), along with location-specific recommendations, the officer added.

The identified congestion points have also been categorised according to the type of traffic pressure they experience—ranging from office-hour rush to cross-border bottlenecks and areas handling heavy commercial traffic.

In central and south Delhi, arterial routes such as Shadipur Chowk, Chirag Delhi, Khanpur, Lala Lajpat Rai Marg near Moolchand, and Neela Gumbad face particularly sharp increases in traffic volumes during peak hours.

East Delhi also witnesses chronic congestion, especially along the stretch from Nizamuddin Bridge to Sarai Kale Khan and adjacent segments of the Ring Road during morning and evening commutes.

Severe bottlenecks are further observed at key entry and exit points linking Delhi to neighbouring states. Notable among these are the Kalindi Kunj and DND corridors towards Noida, and the Kapashera border route towards Gurugram.

“These border crossings often become chokepoints due to the convergence of long-haul freight traffic, local commuters, and inadequate road design or traffic signal systems,” the official explained.

Commercial and wholesale districts remain significant congestion hotspots during trading hours. Prominent among them are Sadar Bazar, Azadpur Mandi, Karol Bagh, Gandhi Nagar market, and Lajpat Nagar. Wholesale zones in Shahdara and Mori Gate are also marked for high traffic during goods delivery hours.

Major roundabouts and flyovers including Naraina Flyover, Punjabi Bagh Club Road, Mukarba Chowk, and Apsara Border appear on the list, alongside long stretches such as the Burari 100-feet road, the Dwarka–Palam corridor, and the Noida Link Road near Mayur Vihar Phase I.

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While traffic personnel are already stationed at many of these sites, officials emphasise that lasting relief will require a combination of road redesign, encroachment removal, improved signal synchronisation, and enhanced last-mile connectivity—initiatives that require collaboration across multiple agencies.

The traffic police is expected to revisit earlier studies and propose actionable solutions as it begins outreach to concerned departments in the coming weeks.

(With inputs from PTI)