Traffic restrictions due to Republic Day rehearsal lead to woes for commuters in Delhi

Vehicular movement in Central Delhi was severely disrupted on Tuesday due to Republic Day parade rehearsals, leaving hundreds of commuters stranded. Major routes, including those leading to Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg near the ITO, key sections of the Ring Road (between Ashram and IP Estate flyover), Man Singh Road, Rafi Marg, Janpath Road, Shahjahan Road, Akbar Road, Ashoka Road, and other nearby roads around Kartavya Path were particularly affected.

A user on X shared a picture of the heavy traffic near Kartavya Path and criticised traffic management, saying, “Is it too much to ask @dtptraffic to manage traffic? The entire central Delhi is choked.” Many users reported being late for work or deciding not to go due to the congestion. One user mentioned, “Don’t feel like going out for work. The traffic in Delhi is horrible.”

Motorists blamed traffic personnel for poor regulation and lack of clear information on road diversions. A user shared a screenshot of online maps, showing all roads leading to Central Delhi were fully jammed, with people waiting over an hour to reach their destinations.

Rajat Kumar, a daily commuter, said, “I usually start early to reach my office on time, but today was completely different. I got stuck in traffic for over two hours and had to inform my seniors I’d be late.” He added that heightened security for Republic Day, with vehicle inspections at every checkpoint, worsened the congestion.

Despite the Delhi Police issuing a traffic advisory on January 15, informing the public about road closures for the rehearsals on Kartavya Path, the traffic snarls continued. The advisory had outlined special traffic arrangements for January 17, 18, 20, and 21 to facilitate the uninterrupted movement of the rehearsals.

There were also reports of heavy congestion in parts of south Delhi, with one commuter sharing on social media that they had been stuck on MB Road for two hours. Some people who switched to the metro complained about long queues at stations due to increased security measures. One user posted a video of a long line at a metro station, expressing frustration, “Delhi metro please we can’t afford it at that peak time, please. We are using Delhi metro to avoid traffic. This is the peak hour for corporate life. We know Republic Day is near, but we can’t afford it at this time. @OfficialDMRC.”

Also Read: Delhi Police issues traffic advisory ahead of Republic Day parade rehearsals

The Delhi Police had previously issued a traffic advisory, indicating that special arrangements would be in place for four days to ensure smooth movement of the Republic Day parade rehearsals on Kartavya Path.

(With inputs from PTI)