New Delhi, Nov 4 (UDN): Traffic congestion brought several major roads across the national capital to a virtual standstill on Tuesday, leaving thousands of commuters stranded for hours during the evening rush. Heavy festive-season shopping, vehicle breakdowns and stricter pollution-related restrictions at Delhi’s borders combined to create widespread traffic chaos.
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The congestion affected several important routes across central, south and north Delhi, with commuters reporting unusually long travel times and slow-moving traffic throughout the evening.
Major Roads Witness Severe Traffic Congestion
Several key arterial roads experienced heavy traffic movement, disrupting daily commuting and interstate travel.
Among the worst-affected stretches were:
Ring Road: Heavy congestion between Bhikaji Cama Place and the Indraprastha (IP) Flyover.
Sarai Kale Khan: Traffic snarls around the Barapullah corridor and Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.
DND Flyway: Slow-moving traffic affected commuters travelling between Delhi and Noida.
Vikas Marg: Heavy congestion reported around Laxmi Nagar.
Delhi-Meerut Expressway: Traffic movement slowed along NH-9.
NH-48: Vehicles heading towards Dhaula Kuan from Gurugram faced long queues near Mahipalpur and the Sarhol border.
Outer Ring Road: Several stretches between Vasant Vihar and Sukhdev Vihar witnessed significant delays.
Commuters said their regular journeys were taking two to three times longer than usual, causing considerable inconvenience.
Vehicle Breakdown Adds to Commuters’ Woes
A vehicle breakdown on the Barapullah elevated corridor near JLN Stadium reportedly worsened the situation, creating a bottleneck that affected surrounding roads.
Several commuters took to social media platform X to report the disruption and seek assistance from traffic authorities.
One commuter claimed that vehicles remained stranded for hours, with virtually no movement on the affected stretch. The post also raised concerns over three ambulances reportedly caught in the traffic jam.
Responding to the complaints, Delhi Traffic Police said the breakdown had disrupted traffic flow and that towing operations were underway to clear the obstruction.
Festive Shopping Rush Adds to Traffic Pressure
The increased movement of shoppers around major commercial and retail centres in central and south Delhi further contributed to the congestion.
Heavy vehicle movement, roadside parking and unauthorised parking reportedly reduced the available road space, making traffic management increasingly difficult during peak hours.
BS-VI Restrictions Cause Queues at Delhi Borders
The situation was further complicated by pollution-control measures implemented at Delhi’s interstate entry points.
Restrictions on the entry of non-BS-VI-compliant vehicles, aimed at controlling vehicular emissions during the winter pollution season, reportedly led to additional checks and long queues at several Delhi-Haryana border crossings.
Vehicles travelling from neighbouring areas faced delays as enforcement teams carried out inspections, adding pressure to already congested roads.
Commuters Face Difficult Evening
The combination of festive-season traffic, roadside obstructions, vehicle breakdowns and pollution-related restrictions turned Tuesday evening into a difficult commute for thousands of Delhi residents.
The incident has once again highlighted the challenges of managing traffic in the national capital during peak hours, particularly when multiple road disruptions occur simultaneously.
Commuters have called for better traffic regulation, quicker removal of broken-down vehicles and more effective coordination at interstate border checkpoints to prevent similar situations in the coming days.
