Traffic across the National Capital Region (NCR) was affected because of the full-dress rehearsal of the Republic Day parade on Monday. Snarls were reported on arterial routes with the ripple effect affecting most parts of the Capital.
Jams reported from the Delhi-Gurugram border to the Signature Tower continued to bother commuters till late in the afternoon even as exits from the expressway remained blocked, increasing travelling time significantly.
Barricades in place
The Noida link road and the DND Flyway also witnessed massive jams with vehicular movement retarded due to police pickets and check points on the Delhi border.
“Jams had begun as early as Sunday evening due to restriction on entry of heavy vehicles in Delhi. It was very problematic for office-goers like me who head towards the Capital in the morning,” complained Kishore Nanda, a 35-year-old private executive who lives in Cyber City.
No heavy trucks, except those ferrying essential goods and commodities, were allowed to enter the Capital from Gurugram. These restrictions are expected to be in place on January 26 as well.
Traffic also crawled at the Kalindi Kunj, Delhi-Noida border due to security arrangements, as well as the Badarpur border, with adjacent routes being affected. Jams were reported from many parts of Central Delhi, too, with the parade moving from Vijay Chowk towards the Red Fort. As a result, routes along ITO, Laxmi Nagar, and Mayur Vihar were affected.
“Getting to my office in Connaught Place was a nightmare. There was massive congestion at Mayur Vihar. It took me 45 minutes to drive from there till ITO, where there was another jam that took me half-an-hour to get out from,” said Shahid, a 30-year-old telecom company executive.
