Key roads in central, north Delhi to remain closed for I-Day full-dress rehearsal today
Cops issue advisory, ask people to use alternative routes
Several key roads in central and north Delhi will remain closed or restricted to traffic for the Independence Day full-dress rehearsal at the Red Fort on Thursday, with the Delhi Traffic Police advising commuters to plan their journeys in advance and use alternative routes.
The restrictions will be in force from 4 am to 10 am on August 13 around the Red Fort as part of security arrangements for the rehearsal. Traffic movement is expected to be affected across major stretches of central and north Delhi.
Only authorised vehicles will be permitted on the restricted stretches, including roads around India Gate and portions of the Ring Road and Outer Ring Road between Nizamuddin Khatta and ISBT Kashmere Gate.
The Traffic Police have advised commuters travelling between north and south Delhi to use alternative corridors through Aurobindo Marg, Safdarjung Road, Kemal Ataturk Marg, Kautilya Marg, Sardar Patel Marg, Mother Teresa Crescent, Park Street, Mandir Marg, Panchkuian Road and Rani Jhansi Road.
For east-west movement, commuters have been advised to use routes through Nizamuddin Khatta, Barapulla Road, Ashram and the Ring Road. The DND-NH24 (NH9)-Yudhister Setu-Pusta Road, GT road and ISBT Kashmere Gate will also be available.
The restrictions will also affect heavy and public transport. Goods vehicles will not be permitted between Nizamuddin Khatta and Wazirabad Bridge, while inter-state buses will not be allowed between Maharana Pratap ISBT and Sarai Kale Khan ISBT from midnight on August 12 until 11 am on August 13.
Local buses, including Delhi Transport Corporation services, will not operate on the Ring Road between ISBT Kashmere Gate and the Ring Road-NH24/NH1 junction at Nizamuddin Khatta from midnight on August 12 until 10 am on August 13. Bus services will be diverted through alternate routes.
The Traffic Police have also announced restrictions at Delhi’s borders ahead of Independence Day. Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Dinesh Kumar Gupta said commercial vehicles would not be allowed to enter Delhi from 10 pm on August 13, with only vehicles carrying essential commodities being permitted.
Speaking about the traffic arrangements for August 13 to 15, Gupta said the restrictions would remain in place until the full-dress rehearsal concludes.
Similar restrictions will be imposed again from 10 pm on August 14, when commercial vehicles will once again be barred from entering Delhi, except those carrying essential commodities.
The police have urged commuters to avoid restricted roads, follow diversion signs and instructions of personnel deployed on the ground, and allow additional travel time.
With enhanced security arrangements and traffic restrictions in place across Delhi for the Independence Day full-dress rehearsal on August 13, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has appealed to citizens of Delhi-NCR to use the Metro for their journeys.
