Thanks to the last-minute Diwali shopping rush on Monday, traffic jams were reported across the Capital with motorists remaining stuck in snarls for long hours.
According to the Delhi Traffic Police Control Room, heavy traffic was reported at Pankha Road, Ashram Chowk, India Gate, ITO Chowk, Mukarba Chowk, Maurice Nagar and Azad Market. “Reports of heavy traffic at these points were received in the evening. Though traffic jams at most of the points were caused due to heavy vehicular movement on the eve of Diwali, a Delhi Transport Corporation bus broke down in Maurice Nagar around 5 p.m. causing traffic snarls,” said a traffic policeman.
Long queues of vehicles could also be seen at major markets like Lajpat Nagar, Sarojini Nagar, South Extension, Chandni Chowk, Karol Bagh and Sadar Bazar causing jams along Ring Road, Outer Ring Road, Vikas Marg, Bhishma Pitamah Marg, National Highway-24 and ITO.
Dhaula Kuan was another major point that witnessed more than the usual rush towards the evening. “Though traffic policemen were present in adequate number and the traffic signals were working properly, still there was unusual rush at Dhaula Kuan in the evening. Usually, it takes me 5-10 minutes to cross the traffic signal at Dhaula Kuan, today [on Monday] I had to wait for more than 30 minutes at the signal,” said Abhishek, a commuter.