New Year’s Eve: Traffic restrictions, parking curbs in Delhi’s Connaught Place, India Gate areas

The Delhi Traffic Police on Tuesday issued a detailed traffic advisory announcing restrictions, diversions and special parking arrangements in Connaught Place and adjoining areas in view of the New Year’s Eve celebrations on December 31.

Police said a large number of people are expected to visit Connaught Place and nearby localities to welcome the new year, prompting special traffic arrangements to manage heavy pedestrian movement and vehicular congestion.

According to the advisory, traffic restrictions will come into force from 7 PM on December 31 and will remain effective till the conclusion of New Year’s Eve celebrations. The restrictions will apply to all private and public transport vehicles unless specifically permitted.

No vehicle will be allowed to proceed towards Connaught Place beyond designated points, including roundabouts Mandi House, Bengali Market, Patel Chowk, Gole Market, GPO and Kasturba Gandhi Road–Ferozeshah Road crossing, Jai Singh Road–Bangla Sahib Lane, Windsor Place roundabout and several other intersections, police said.

Vehicular traffic will not be permitted in the Inner, Middle or Outer Circles of Connaught Place, except for vehicles carrying valid entry passes, the advisory added.

In view of the heavy footfall near India Gate, vehicular movement may also be restricted or diverted at points such as the O-Point, W-Point, MLNP and Sunheri Masjid roundabouts, Rajpath-Rafi Marg, Mathura Road-Purana Qila Road, Sher Shah Road and Zakir Hussain Marg, police said.

The traffic police have suggested alternate routes for north-south and east-west movement, including Ring Road, Mathura Road, Rani Jhansi Marg, Panchkuian Road, Mandir Marg and Mother Teresa Crescent.

Special parking arrangements have been made in the Connaught Place area.

Designated parking locations include Kali Bari Marg, Pt Pant Marg, Bhai Veer Singh Marg, Rakab Ganj Road, Copernicus Marg, Babar Road, Tansen Marg, Windsor Place, Jantar Mantar Road and Raisina Road, among others.

Limited parking will be available on a first-come-first-serve basis, and unauthorised or improper parking will invite towing and prosecution, police warned.

For access to New Delhi Railway Station from the south, commuters have been advised to use specified routes, while entry via Chelmsford Road from Connaught Place will remain prohibited.

The Old Delhi Railway Station will not be affected, police said.

The traffic police have advised people to use public transport as parking near India Gate and Connaught Place is extremely limited. Commuters have also been requested to avoid affected roads, plan journeys in advance and keep sufficient time in hand while travelling to railway stations, ISBTs and the airport.