As India is set to host the G20 Summit on September 9-10, traffic restrictions have come into force in New Delhi from Friday. According to officials, stringent traffic regulations were put in place in the national capital on Friday morning. The police have also advised people to use the Metro due to regulated traffic movement.
Due to the summit, the New Delhi district will be a Controlled Zone-I from Friday 5 am to Sunday 11:59 pm. The police have warned people against picnicking, biking, or walking along Kartavya Path and India Gate. The movement of vehicles is restricted in the New Delhi district, but police said ambulances, locals, and visitors staying there will be allowed to travel with proper identification documents.
Roads designated as 'Controlled Zone II'
Nearly 16 roads and junctions will be treated as "Controlled Zone II" till 2 pm on Sunday. These include W-Point, A-Point, DDU Marg, Vikas Marg (till Noida Link Road-Pusta Road), Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg and Delhi Gate, among others. This means that only bonafide residents, authorised vehicles, emergency vehicles, and those travelling to the airport, Old Delhi and New Delhi Railway Stations will be allowed to ply on the road network beyond Ring Road towards New Delhi district.
Vehicles dealing with housekeeping, catering and waste management for hotels, hospitals and other important installations in the New Delhi district will also be allowed after verification. Officials said over 50,000 personnel along with dog squads and mounted police have been deployed to keep a hawk-eye vigil during the summit. Police have advised people to use the navigation app 'Mapmyindia' to get around the city till the restrictions are in place.
Traffic will be affected for the following locations on September 10 in Controlled Zone-II
- New Delhi Railway Station from Ajmeri Gate side
- Old Delhi Railway Station from Shyama Prasad Mukherjee (SPM) Road side
- Shanti Van Chowk from Geeta Colony side
- ITO from Vikas Marg side
- Rajghat Chowk from Jawahar Lal Nehru (JLN) Marg side
- Guru Nanak Chowk from Minto Road side
Regulated metro services
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) said parking facilities at Supreme Court, Patel Chowk and RK Ashram Marg metro stations will be blocked from 4 am on September 8 till September 11 noon. Except for Supreme Court station, where boarding and deboarding will not be permitted from 5 am on September 9 to 11 pm on September 10, all stations will continue to offer metro service, according to the police.
All types of goods vehicles, commercial vehicles, interstate buses and buses of the Delhi Transport Corporation and Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit System will not be permitted to operate on the Mathura Road (beyond Ashram Chowk), Bhairon Road, Purana Quila Road and inside Pragati Maidan Tunnel from September 8 midnight till to 11.59 pm on September 10.
Real-time traffic updates on 'G-20 Virtual Help Desk'
Meanwhile, interstate buses coming through the Ghazipur Border will terminate at ISBT Sarai Kale Khan, while those from the Apsara Border, Chilla Border, Badarpur Border, Tikei Border and Singhu border will terminate at ISBT Kashmere Gate, ISBT Sarai Kale Khan, Ashram Chowk, Peeragarhi Chowk and Mukarba Chowk respectively. The Delhi Police have advised people to follow real-time traffic updates on the 'G-20 Virtual Help Desk' for route suggestions for commuting to and from the airport, railway stations or bus terminals.
Two-day G20 Summit
The two-day G20 Summit will be held on September 9-10. However, related events, including sherpa meetings, and meetings of finance, energy and central bank deputies will begin from September 23.
It should be mentioned here that the summit will take place at the newly developed convention centre at Pragati Maidan. According to the information received, at least 23 hotels across the city have been designated for the stay of delegates of the event.
(With inputs from PTI)
