New Delhi
Thousands of commuters were stranded for hours on city roads on Tuesday, especially around the Delhi airport and key parts of south, southwest, central and east Delhi, as heavy rainfall, coupled with overflowing of the Yamuna, threw the Capital into disarray.
Commuters blamed poor traffic management and took to social media to express their anguish. The Delhi Traffic Police, meanwhile, cited planned VIP movement, incessant downpour leading to uprooting of trees and potholes on roads, and closure of routes due to flooding
Police said vehicular movement to the airport and Dwarka from south, central and west Delhi would remain impacted on Wednesday as well due to planned VIP movement, especially from 9am to afternoon. An advisory has already been issued by the traffic police regarding traffic restrictions and diversions for the planned event at Yashobhoomi Convention Center in Dwarka.
Traffic would remain disturbed from noon to late evening in Paharganj and Jhandewalan, due to religious and public processions in central Delhi.
On Tuesday, the worst hit routes included the roads leading to the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport and Gurugram from south Delhi via Dhaula Kuan and Rao Tula Ram Road during the morning peak hours. The Sardar Patel Marg, the Delhi-Gurugram Road (National Highway-48) via Mahipalpur, the Outer Ring Road, and the Ring Road were also affected between 8.30am and 1.30pm, primarily due to the VIP movement.
“@dtptraffic Why the traffic is stopped near airport. What is the point without considering public concern as someone can miss their flight,” a commuter with user handle Amar Srivastava posted on X.
Another X user posted, “Vehicles going to Delhi Airport are stuck for half an hour. I can see the anxiety and helplessness on their faces. No one to enlighten what is the reason and when this blockade will end.” The user also posted a photograph and wrote, “Condition of road when coming out of IGI Airport, New Delhi. Even plying a bus is tough. What an impression international guests might be getting.”
Commuters’ problems were compounded by the closure of the Parade Road tunnel, as motorists heading towards Dwarka were diverted to NH-48 and Cariappa Marg from Dhaula Kuan.
“We had to stop the traffic to give a thoroughfare to motorcades of the dignitaries, including the Dalai Lama who travelled to the IGI Airport from a luxury hotel in central Delhi. The continuous downpour was also a reason for the slow moving traffic. As pumps were arranged to clear rainwater from the roads, no major waterlogging was witnessed on the routes leading to the airport and the Yashobhoomi. Traffic personnel in sufficient numbers were deployed to manage the flow of traffic. Traffic became normal in the afternoon,” said a senior traffic police officer, who asked not to be named.
In central Delhi, a large tree on the Janpath-Ashoka Road roundabout was uprooted around noon, blocking the movement of vehicles going towards India Gate and south Delhi from Parliament Street, Feroz Shah Road, and Connaught Place via Janpath. Traffic resumed after the uprooted tree was removed from the roundabout.
The Old Railway Bridge connecting north Delhi with northeast Delhi was closed for vehicles in the afternoon after the Yamuna water level crossed the danger mark, causing snarls on Vikas Marg, Geeta Colony Yamuna bridge and the Grand Trunk Road.