74th Independence Day celebrations: Full dress rehearsal
Ahead of the 74th Independence Day celebrations, the full dress rehearsal ceremony of the I-Day took place on August 13 (today). Due to the coronavirus pandemic, this year's Independence Day celebrations will have a different protocol that will be as par to maintaining social distancing and other COVID norms. As per reports, PM Modi may skip his interaction with children at the Red Fort — a phenomenon which has become PM Modi's hallmark. Meanwhile, the Delhi Police has also issued a traffic advisory to ensure safe and smooth vehicular movement across the national capital. Here are the full guidelines and routes to avoid on Independence Day in the national capital.
- According to the advisory, the traffic around Red Fort from where Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation on Independence day will remain closed for general traffic from 4 am to 10 am and only labelled vehicles will be permitted.
- Traffic restrictions for the full dress rehearsal on August 13 and for Independence Day function will remain same, police said.
- According to the advisory, eight roads -- Netaji Subhash Marg, Lothian Road, SP Mukherjee Marg, Chandni Chowk Road, Nishad Raj Marg, Esplanade Road and its Link Road to Netaji Subhash Marg, Ring Road from Rajghat to ISBT and Outer Ring Road from ISBT to IP flyover will be closed for general public from 4 am to 10 am.
- Vehicles without parking labels for the rehearsal and the Independence Day function have been advised to avoid C-Hexagon India Gate, Copernics Marg, Mandi House, Sikandra Road, Tilak Marg, Mathura Road, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, Subhash Marg, Jawaharlal Nehru Marg and the Ring Road between Nizammuddin Bridge and ISBT bridge.
- For north-south destinations -- commuters need to take alternative routes from Aurobindo Marg - Safdarjung Road, Connaught Place-Minto Road and Nizamuddin bridge to cross Yamuna --Pushta Road- GT Road, it said.
- For east-west corridor, commuters will need to follow alternative routes from DND-NH24-Vikas Marg, Vikas Marg- DDU Marg, and Boulevard Road-Barfkhana, the traffic advisory stated.
- Geeta Colony Bridge will be closed towards Shantivan and vehicles will not be permitted on lower Ring Road from ISBT Kashmere Gate towards Shantivan and from IP flyover towards Rajghat, it stated.
- Goods vehicles will prohibited between Nizamuddin bridge and Wazirabad bridge from 12 midnight of August 12 to 11 am on August 13 and the same will be applicable for the Independence Day from 12 midnight of August 14 to 11 am on August 15.
- According to the traffic police, inter-state buses will not be allowed between Maharana Pratap ISBT and Sarai Kale Khan ISBT from 12 midnight to 11 am on August 13 and the same will be followed for August 15.
- City buses, including the ones operated by DTC, will not ply on Ring Road from 12 midnight to 11 am on August 13, between ISBT to NH-24/NH T-point on Ring Road and take alternative routes available on the Independence Day as well, the advisory said. These buses may use GT Road, Wazirabad Road and NH-24.
- Routes of buses terminating at Red Fort, Jama Masjid and Delhi main railway station will be curtailed or diverted, it said, adding that normal bus service will be restored after 10 AM.
- Alternative routes will remain open to railway stations, bus stations and hospitals near the venue of Independence Day function, the police said.
(With PTI inputs)
