If you plan to drive on the New Year’s Eve you better stick to the speed limit, don’t indulge in reckless and dangerous driving or park your vehicles on the main roads causing obstruction to traffic flow. Break the rules or disobey directions and you are sure to be nabbed by the special teams constituted by the Delhi Traffic Police who will be stationed across the city on Monday night. In addition, motorists who are found driving drunk will be fined up to Rs. 2,000, their driver’s licence will be suspended and may even face jail term.
Like every year, the Delhi Traffic Police have made elaborate arrangements for smooth flow of traffic on the New Year Eve. While Connaught Place will be completely out of bounds from 7 p.m. on Monday with no vehicular traffic allowed in the inner, middle or outer circles, no vehicles will be allowed to proceed towards CP beyond the road adjoining Mandi House, Bengali Market, North foot of Ranjit Singh flyover, Minto Road-Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Marg crossing, Chelmsford Road near Munje Chowk (New Delhi Railway Station), R. K. Ashram Marg-Chitragupta Marg crossing, road adjoining Gole Market, GPO, Patel Chowk, Kasturba Gandhi Road-Ferozshah Road crossing, Jai Singh Road-Bangla Sahib Lane.
However, the Traffic Police have provided alternatives routes for North-South and East-West directions. For North-South movement, motorists are advised to use Mathura Road-Ring Road- Bahadurshah Zafar Marg. In addition, Mother Teresa Crescent Road-Rani Jhansi Marg will also be available. For East-West movement, motorists are advised to use ‘C’ Hexagon-Akbar Road-Mother Teresa Crescent-Park Street for onward journey or alternatively Mathura Road or Ring Road or B.S.Z. Marg to reach Delhi Gate and take Jawaharlal Nehru Marg, D.B.G. Road for onward journey.
Commuters intending to reach the New Delhi railway station should use the second entry gate on the Ajmeri Gate side or reach the station via Paharganj-Shiela Cinema or through Ajmeri Gate-J.L.N. Marg side via B.S.Z Marg-Delhi Gate-J.L.N. Marg.
Traffic Police personnel will be posted on all other main places where hotels, restaurants, markets and religious places are located to ensure that main roads are free for smooth flow of traffic.
Entry and exit to Metro stations adjoining Connaught Place such as Rajiv Chowk, Barakhamba Road and Patel Chowk will also be closed from 7-30 p.m. on Monday. Sale of tickets at these three stations will stop at 7.15 p.m. and shutters of all entry gates will be closed at 7-30 p.m. However, interchange facilities will remain operational at Rajiv Chowk till 11 p.m.
