Delhi traffic curbs are likely to affect Connaught Place and several adjoining areas of Central Delhi from 3 pm on Friday ahead of the Cockroach Janta Party’s ‘Lehra Do Tiranga’ march scheduled for 5 pm, according to the Delhi Traffic Police. The advisory covers key roads, government precincts and business areas around the city’s central commercial district.
The march has been called by the CJP over the arrests of its leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka earlier this week. The party has also been demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision of voter rolls. The allegations and demands have not been adjudicated in the traffic advisory.
The group has called for a gathering at Central Park, located in the Inner Circle of Connaught Place, where All India Students’ Association’s Neha Bora and the Aam Aadmi Party are also expected to be present. The Delhi Police has appealed to people not to assemble at the park. The New Delhi Municipal Council has separately said Central Park will remain closed to the public on Friday and Saturday “due to administrative reasons”.
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation has not issued any notification about the closure of Metro stations in connection with the march. Commuters using the Metro have therefore not been advised of station shutdowns under the information available in the traffic advisory.
Traffic diversions may be introduced depending on the situation and the movement of participants. Roads listed as likely to be affected include Sansad Marg, Baba Kharak Singh Marg, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Marg, Panchkuian Road, Basant Lane, Chelmsford Road, Minto Road, Barakhamba Road, Kasturba Gandhi Marg, Janpath, Rafi Marg, Tilak Marg and Tolstoy Marg.
Movement may also be affected around Rail Bhawan, C-Hexagon, Mandi House, Patel Chowk, Windsor Place, Gole Dak Khana and Sikandra Road. The traffic police has specifically included the stretch of Ashoka Road between the General Post Office and C-Hexagon among the roads where restrictions or diversions could be imposed.
The advisory asks commuters to plan journeys in advance, allow additional travel time and use public transport wherever possible. Motorists have been asked not to park on roadsides and to use designated parking facilities. The traffic police has advised the public to follow instructions from personnel deployed in the affected areas and check its website and official social media channels for real-time updates and alternative routes.
For assistance, commuters can contact the Delhi Traffic Police helpline at 1095 or 011-25844444. The police has also put in place a substantial deployment in New Delhi. About 25,000 personnel were expected to be deployed in the area, with an additional 5,000 personnel being called in for the march, according to sources cited in the report.
Multiple detention buses were positioned near Palika Bazaar, one of Connaught Place’s main business hubs. Around 16 buses were reported between Sansad Marg and Tolstoy Road on Thursday. DCP (PRO) Neha Yadav said prohibitory orders were already in force in Connaught Place and adjoining areas to “maintain peace and protect lives and public and private property”.
The police said it could facilitate a selected group of people to carry the national flag and sing the national anthem at a suitable location. The traffic advisory and deployment arrangements will remain subject to the movement of participants and the situation around Central Park and Connaught Place.
