A severe traffic jam on the Delhi-Meerut Expressway and connected roads left commuters stranded in vehicles until 2 am during the Diwali shopping rush, with congestion extending across several major routes in Meerut.
Traffic pressure began rising from the morning on Thursday as people travelled for Diwali and other festival-related purchases. Vehicles moved slowly for hours on the expressway and the connected Delhi Road, turning journeys that normally take minutes into prolonged trips.
The worst disruption was reported between Begumpul and the Partapur Interchange. Traffic also remained heavy on Meerut’s Mall Road, Railway Road, Zero Mile and surrounding areas. In several locations, people reportedly abandoned their vehicles and continued their journeys on foot as the road network became difficult to navigate.
The disruption came despite traffic management measures announced for the festival period. The traffic police have implemented diversions from 7 am to 2 am daily between November 5 and 11 in view of Diwali, Dhanteras, Govardhan Puja and Bhai Dooj. Vehicle entry has been restricted in major market areas, while alternative routes have been designated for roadways buses and heavy vehicles.
The measures were intended to manage the additional demand created by shopping and festival travel, but the volume of vehicles continued to overwhelm roads around the expressway and central commercial areas. The reported congestion also affected routes beyond the immediate shopping districts, increasing delays for commuters travelling through Meerut.
Meerut SP Traffic Rajesh Srivastava appealed to residents to check alternative routes before leaving home and avoid unnecessary travel during the festival period. The traffic police also asked commuters to remain patient and follow instructions issued by personnel deployed on the roads.
The episode highlights the operational difficulty of managing a sharp, time-bound rise in traffic across an expressway, city roads and market access points at the same time. Diversions can redistribute vehicles, but they do not remove the underlying demand, particularly when several festival activities coincide and access to commercial areas is restricted.
Traffic arrangements are scheduled to remain in force through November 11, with police continuing to advise commuters to plan journeys in advance, use designated alternative routes and avoid non-essential travel during peak festival hours.
