ASEAN MEET, RDAY DRILL SET TO CAUSE TRAFFIC CHAOS

NEWDELHI: Commuters are set to face traffic jams from Tuesday to Friday as road restrictions will be in place in large parts of central Delhi because of two key events — Republic Day celebrations and an Asean summit.

Several arterial roads will be closed for the full dress rehearsal of the Republic Day parade from 9.50am till noon on Tuesday.

A traffic police advisory said Metro commuters will not be allowed to board and get off trains at four stations — Kendriya Sachivalaya and Udyog B haw an between 5 am and 12 pm; and 7, Lok Kalyan Marg or 7, Race Course Road and Patel Chowk from 8.45am till noon on Tuesday.

Metro services will be available but restrictions at these stations are part of the security cover for the parade rehearsal.

“The C-Hexagon of India Gate will be closed for traffic from 9am on Tuesday till the parade crosses Tilak Marg. From 10am, traffic on both stretches on Tilak Marg, Ba had ur Shah Z afar Marg and Netaji Subhash Marg will be closed. Cross-traffic will be allowed depending on the parade’s movement,” said Garima Bhatnagar, the joint commissioner of police (traffic).

More traffic curbs are likely on Wednesday and Thursday when leaders of 10 Asean countries will move from the airport to their hotels in central Delhi and later to the summit venues — the Taj Diplomatic Enclave hotel on Sardar Patel Marg and the Pravasi Bharatiya Kendra in Chanakyapuri.

The dignitaries will attend the main event of the Asean-India Commemorative Summit on Thursday and the Republic Day parade on Rajpath the next day. Their itinerary includes a visit to Rashtrapati Bhavan for the President’s at-home function on Friday afternoon.

The road restrictions will be lifted from 7pm on Wednesday till midnight. No route will be closed completely for the public on Wednesday and Thursday, but commuters could be stopped for some time to let the dignitaries pass, traffic police chief Dependra Pathak said.