After encroachment ban, Karol Bagh roads breathe freely

As one steps out of the Karol Bagh Metro station on the Blueline and heads to Ajmal Khan Road to explore the bustling Karol Bagh market, the scene gets transformed with open roads and a noticeable absence of encroachments.

Gone are the days when commercial vehicles and hawkers would block the roads, causing congestion in one of the Central Delhi’s busiest markets.

The change follows the Delhi Government’s decision to bar commercial vehicles, including e-rickshaws and e-carts, from parking or blocking roads in the Karol Bagh market area between 10 am and 8 pm.

Karol Bagh market, a shoppers’ delight offering affordable readymade garments, cotton yarn and embroidered garments, had earned a name for being the noisiest location in the national capital.

When The Tribune correspondent walked on to the Ajmal Khan road, there were no hawkers, encroaching on the road, cars were parked within the parking area, not on the road and no shopkeeper, big or small, had encroached even a small area in front of the shop by displaying items.

“Walking down the street is a pleasure now. There are no vehicles to disturb us,” said Indu Sharma, a bride-to-be, who came to purchase a lehenga for herself. Indu said the initiative is good and will help in decongesting the area and curb pollution.

There is continuous patrolling by Delhi Police and other officials to remove the hawkers, who block the road. “We have been removing them in order to ensure smooth shopping experience for the people,” a cop said.

Mukesh Bindal, a shopkeeper selling wedding clothes, said continuous honking by vehicles caused headache to many as the road had become narrow due to illegal parking and entry of commercial vehicles. “Now, there is no more honking which ultimately boosts the shopping experience of customers and increases our revenue too,” he added.

Explaining about the supply of items to these shops, Amit Garg, another shopkeeper, said delivery of goods take place at night after the shops close, which is faster in comparison to earlier times as commercial vehicles find enough space as there are no customers during the night.

Traffic congestion in Delhi markets has become a persistent urban challenge, affecting commuters, traders and shoppers alike. Major commercial hubs such as Chandni Chowk, Lajpat Nagar, Karol Bagh, Sarojini Nagar, Kamla Nagar and Khan Market witness severe traffic snarls throughout the day.

Among the main causes of congestion is widespread encroachment by street vendors, illegal parking on narrow roads and presence of goods carriers that often double-park during loading and unloading hours. Poor traffic management and inadequate enforcement further aggravate the problem as many markets lack a proper one-way system, sufficient signage and effective coordination between traffic police and civic bodies.

Additionally, most of these markets were designed decades ago and cannot accommodate today’s high volume of vehicles. Limited parking space, narrow lanes and poor last-mile connectivity from Metro stations contribute to the chaos.