Traffic movement in several parts of south Delhi was disrupted for several hours on Tuesday afternoon due to a Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) bus catching fire near Dhaula Kuan and a road crash near South Extension, officials said. The twin incidents led to heavy congestion on the Outer Ring Road and Ring Road, with adjoining stretches also affected as motorists took alternative routes to avoid the jams.
According to the Delhi Fire Services (DFS), a call about a fire in a DTC bus was received at 11.53am, after which two fire tenders were rushed to the spot. The flames were doused by 12.30pm, and no injuries were reported, officials said. The breakdown led to bumper-to-bumper traffic on key stretches, including Sri Aurobindo Marg between AIIMS and Mehrauli, and on roads leading to Saket, Defence Colony, Greater Kailash, and Malviya Nagar.
Meanwhile, the Delhi Traffic Police on Tuesday issued an advisory warning of major traffic restrictions across south Delhi on Friday, as self-styled seer Dhirendra Krishna Shastri of Bageshwar Dham is set to lead a Pad Yatra (foot march) from Adhya Katyayani Mandir in Chhatarpur to Shree Banke Bihari Mandir in Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh.
Officials estimate that over 50,000 followers, along with a large convoy of vehicles, will accompany the seer. Elaborate traffic arrangements and diversions will be implemented in Mehrauli and surrounding areas to ensure smooth movement of the procession.
As per the advisory, restrictions on vehicle movement will be in place between 11am and 8pm on Friday on SSN Marg from Chhatarpur Y-Point to Dera Mor, and from CDR Chowk to Chhatarpur Y-Point between 8am and 4pm. Similar restrictions will apply from Dera Mor to Chhatarpur Y-Point and from Zeer Khod to Dera Mor from 1pm to 10pm on Friday and from 7am to 1pm on Saturday.
The advisory added that parking restrictions will remain in force from 8am to 10pm on Friday between CDR Chowk and Dera Mandi and Zeer Khod, and that unauthorisedly parked vehicles will be towed away.
Commuters heading to Faridabad have been advised to avoid SSN Marg and instead use the Mehrauli-Gurugram (MG) Road via CDR Chowk. Those travelling towards Gurugram via Zeer Khod Road should take Mandi Road, while vehicles from Dera Gaon heading to Chhatarpur will be diverted via Bandh Road to Mandi Road, the advisory stated.