NEW DELHI: Heavy traffic was witnessed in Lutyens’ Delhi and the southwestern parts of the capital on Friday evening, causing major inconvenience to commuters as extensive security arrangements were put in place for the two-day India visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Several key roads experienced long snarls, with vehicles crawling for hours. Radhika Singh, a resident of Gurugram, said she left her office near Connaught Place but got stuck in traffic in Lutyens’ Delhi. “It took me far longer than usual to cross Dhaula Kuan, and even after one-and-a-half hours, I was still stuck near Mahipalpur,” she said.
Another commuter reported severe congestion on Sardar Patel Marg, a crucial connector between southwest Delhi and Lutyens’ Delhi.
The slow traffic was attributed to heightened security arrangements as well as increased weekend movement. Many commuters also took to social media platform X to inform others about the traffic situation. One user said the Bijwasan area had remained choked for over an hour.
Others warned people to avoid Palam Vihar, Samalka and Dhundhera, claiming that these areas were completely blocked. Traffic from Gurugram to Delhi was also reported to be extremely heavy, with people stranded in long queues for hours.
On Thursday, Delhi Police issued an advisory announcing special traffic arrangements to ensure smooth movement during the Russian President’s visit. According to the advisory, from 10 am to 11.30 am on Friday, no vehicle was allowed to halt or park on Mother Teresa Crescent, Teen Murti Marg, Akbar Road, MLNP and Janpath Road.
Further restrictions were imposed from 11 am to 12.30 pm on Janpath Road, Windsor Place roundabout, Firoz Shah Road, Mandi House roundabout, Sikandra Road and W-Point. Additional curbs were in force from 3 pm to 5 pm on Janpath Road, Windsor Place, Firoz Shah Road, Mandi House, Sikandra Road, W-Point, Mathura Road and Bhairon Marg.