Delhi traffic slowed to a crawl across major arterial roads and shopping districts on Thursday as Diwali shopping and holiday travel pushed some journeys towards two hours and drove cab fares sharply higher, according to a report by the Times of India.
Heavy congestion was reported on Vikas Marg, Sardar Patel Marg, Ring Road and Outer Ring Road, as well as around Dhaula Kuan and Barapullah Flyover. Traffic at Dhaula Kuan was reported to be unusually heavy around 3 pm, while commuters travelling between Delhi and Noida said their journeys were taking close to two hours.
The congestion was also concentrated around major festive shopping destinations, including Chandni Chowk, South Extension and Lajpat Nagar. Barapullah Flyover emerged as another bottleneck, with commuters reporting that they needed up to 55 minutes to cross the stretch.
The disruption affected both daily commuters and shoppers. Commuters posting online described prolonged waits at traffic signals and questioned the availability of traffic personnel near busy commercial areas, including Khan Market and adjoining roads. One commuter said the delays were resulting in significant fuel and time losses, while another described waiting for about 30 minutes at signals.
Cab users faced a second impact as demand rose during the festive rush. Ishika, who generally pays Rs 450 for her trip to Noida, said she had to pay Rs 700 on Thursday. A cab driver attributed the increase to the Diwali rush and restrictions on the entry of non-BS-VI vehicles into Delhi.
Other commuters reported even steeper fare estimates. A roughly 25-km journey from Noida Sector 15 to Shalimar Garden in Ghaziabad was reportedly showing fares between Rs 1,600 and Rs 2,500. Brajesh, another commuter, said his daily cab commute was costing Rs 1,000. A separate commuter said a journey from Noida to Gurgaon required a longer route through Faridabad because of traffic and that cab fares were nearly twice the cost of travelling by private vehicle.
The reported disruption combined three pressures on Delhi’s road network: concentrated festive demand around markets, holiday movement between Delhi and neighbouring cities, and restrictions affecting the availability of some vehicles. The report did not provide an official traffic police assessment, a consolidated traffic diversion plan or a citywide account of enforcement measures.
The immediate impact was therefore felt through longer travel times, higher operating costs for commuters and reduced road reliability on key links between Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad and Gurgaon. The reported congestion and fares were continuing to be flagged by commuters online as the festive travel period intensified.
