NEW DELHI: Days after the Red Fort blast, the stretch on Netaji Subhash Marg where the incident took place reopened for traffic movement on Saturday after being cleared, the officials said.
A senior Delhi Police officer said that since November 11, due to operational requirements, traffic restrictions and diversions were imposed on both the carriageways and service roads of Netaji Subhash Marg, from Chatta Rail cut to Subhash Marg cut.
“From 1 pm on Saturday, both the carriageways and service roads along the mentioned stretch of Netaji Subhash Marg have been reopened for vehicular movement,” the officer said. Commuters have been advised that they can now use the stretch as per their destinations, the official added.
Additionally, two gates of the Lal Qila Metro Station, which had been closed after the blast shattered the station’s glass panels, have also been reopened. In a post on X, the DMRC said, “Red Fort metro station gate numbers 2 and 3 are now open for commuters, restoring partial access that had been suspended as part of security measures following the incident.”
The explosion on Monday evening near the Red Fort had prompted an immediate lockdown of the surrounding area, with enhanced checks and movement restrictions in place for several days as agencies conducted investigations. The reopening of the two gates is expected to ease pedestrian movement, especially for tourists and traders in the nearby markets.
Delhi Police has also compiled a list of vehicles that were present near the blast site and the parking lot where the i20 car exploded. The owners and drivers of these vehicles will be questioned on whether they saw anyone suspicious before the incident. The photograph of main accused Umar Nabi will also be shown to them during the inquiry, the offiical said.
Chandni Chowk, one of Delhi’s busiest markets—particularly for wedding shopping—may have had a large number of vehicles present at the time, police said. Investigators aim to determine what the accused, who was behind the wheel during the explosion, was doing in the three hours between entering and exiting the parking lot.
Thirteen people died and six others were injured after the explosion in the i20 car near the Red Fort on Monday evening.