Delhi traffic advisory for Independence Day rehearsal: Check roads to avoid, diversions, alternate routes and other key details

Traffic restrictions will be imposed across parts of Delhi on August 13 for the full-dress rehearsal of the Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort.

The rehearsal for the August 15 ceremony will be held on August 13, prompting the Delhi Traffic Police to close several key roads, divert buses and restrict the movement of commercial and interstate vehicles.

The restrictions will primarily remain in place from 4 am to 10 am on August 13, while restrictions on goods vehicles and buses will begin from midnight on August 12.

Roads closed from 4 am to 10 am

Roads around the Red Fort will be closed to general traffic from 4 am to 10 am. Only vehicles carrying valid rehearsal labels will be allowed on these stretches.

The affected roads include:

• Netaji Subhash Marg from Delhi Gate to Chatta Rail Chowk
• Lothian Road from GPO Delhi to Chatta Rail Chowk
• S P Mukherjee Marg from H C Sen Marg to Yamuna Bazar Chowk
• Chandni Chowk Road from Fountain Chowk to Red Fort
• Nishad Raj Marg from Ring Road to Netaji Subhash Marg
• Esplanade Road and its link road to Netaji Subhash Marg
• Ring Road between Rajghat and ISBT

The traffic police have advised motorists without rehearsal parking labels to avoid India Gate C-Hexagon, Copernicus Marg, Mandi House, Sikandra Road, W-Point, A-Point Tilak Marg, Mathura Road, BSZ Marg, Netaji Subhash Marg and J L Nehru Marg.

Commuters should also avoid Ring Road between Nizamuddin Khatta and ISBT Kashmere Gate, as well as the Outer Ring Road stretch between Nizamuddin Khatta and ISBT Kashmere Gate via the Salimgarh bypass during the restricted period.

North-South traffic: Alternative routes

For north-south movement, commuters can use:

• Aurobindo Marg
• Safdarjung Road
• Kamal Ataturk Marg
• Kautilya Marg
• S Marg
• 11 Murti
• Mother Teresa Crescent
• Park Street
• Mandir Marg
• Panchkuian Road
• Rani Jhansi Road

Another route is available through Connaught Place, Minto Road, Bhavbhuti Marg, Ajmeri Gate, Shradhanand Marg, Lahori Gate Chowk, Naya Bazar, Peeli Kothi and S P Mukherjee Marg up to the ODRS.

Motorists crossing the Yamuna can use Nizamuddin Bridge, Pushta Road, GT Road and Yudhister Setu to reach ISBT and northern Delhi.

East-West traffic: Routes to use

For east-west movement, the traffic police have suggested routes through NH-24/NH-9, Nizamuddin Khatta, Barapulla Road and Ring Road.

Vehicles coming from DND can take Barapulla Road or proceed via Ashram on Ring Road.

Other alternatives include Vikas Marg, IP Marg, DDU Marg and Minto Road, followed by routes through Connaught Place or Ajmeri Gate.

Pushta Road, GT Road and Yudhister Setu can also be used to reach ISBT Kashmere Gate.

The DND-NH-24/NH-9-Yudhister Setu-Signature Bridge-Wazirabad Bridge route will remain open for reaching Ring Road.

However, the Old Iron Bridge and Geeta Colony Bridge towards Shanti Van will remain closed.

Goods vehicles, interstate buses face restrictions

The movement of goods vehicles will be restricted between Nizamuddin Khatta and Wazirabad Bridge from midnight on August 12 until 11 am on August 13.

Interstate buses will not be allowed between Maharana Pratap ISBT and Sarai Kale Khan ISBT during the same period.

Local city buses, including DTC buses, will also be diverted. They will not operate on Ring Road between ISBT Kashmere Gate and the NH-24/NH-9 or NH 'T' point at Nizamuddin Khatta from midnight to 11 am.

Several roads will also remain closed to inter-city and DTC buses, including Lothian Road, Netaji Subhash Marg, S P Mukherjee Marg and Ring Road between Nizamuddin Khatta and the northern loop of ISBT Kashmere Gate.

Restrictions will also affect stretches around C-Hexagon, Sher Shah Road, Dr Zakir Hussain Road, Pandara Road, Shahjahan Road, Akbar Road, Rajpath, Ashoka Road, KG Marg, Copernicus Marg, Tilak Marg, Purana Quila Road, Sikandra Road, Bhagwan Dass Road and BSZ Marg.

Additional restrictions will apply on:

• Ashoka Road between Windsor Place and C-Hexagon
• KG Marg between Ferozeshah Road and C-Hexagon
• Vikas Marg beyond the loop towards Delhi Secretariat
• Mathura Road between Ashram Chowk and W Point

Normal bus services are expected to resume after 11 am on August 13.

Buses to Red Fort, Jama Masjid and Delhi station curtailed

Buses normally terminating at Red Fort, Jama Masjid and Delhi Main Railway Station will be curtailed at designated points.

Buses approaching from south and west Delhi will terminate opposite Ramlila Ground on J L N Marg.

Those coming from north, northwest and east Delhi will be curtailed at Mori Gate and Tis Hazari.

Buses approaching from north Delhi via Ring Road will terminate at Boulevard Road opposite Maharaja Agrasen Park.

How to reach Old Delhi Railway Station

The traffic police have prescribed alternative routes for passengers travelling to Old Delhi Railway Station.

From west and south Delhi, commuters can use Mother Teresa Crescent, Park Street, Mandir Marg, Panchkuian Road, Rani Jhansi Flyover, Azad Market, Boulevard Road, Mori Gate, Pul Dufferin and S P Mukherjee Marg.

From north Delhi, commuters can use Mori Gate, Pul Dufferin and S P Mukherjee Marg.

Those coming from east and northeast Delhi can use Pushta Road, Yudhister Setu, Mori Gate, Pul Dufferin and S P Mukherjee Marg.

How to reach New Delhi Railway Station

Commuters travelling from east Delhi can use Vikas Marg, DDU Marg and Bhavbhuti Marg.

Those coming from northeast and north Delhi can use Yudhister Setu, Rani Jhansi Road and DBG Road.

From west Delhi, commuters can use Pusa Road, Hanuman Murti, Panchkuian Road, Connaught Place and Chelmsford Road.

Passengers coming from south Delhi can approach through Connaught Place and Chelmsford Road or DBG Road.

Hospital access

There will be no restriction on reaching LNJP Hospital.

Kasturba Hospital can be approached through Ajmeri Gate, Ajmeri Bazar, Hauz Qazi, Chawri Bazar, Barsha Bullah and Urdu Bazar, according to the advisory.

Bus diversions across Delhi

Several detailed diversions have been prescribed for buses operating from Trans-Yamuna, Vikas Marg, Baraf Khana, Ajmeri Gate, Minto Bridge, Mall Road and south Delhi.

Buses from GT Road/ISBT Kashmere Gate bound for Kauria Pul, Red Fort or Old Delhi Railway Station will operate via Yudhister Setu and terminate near Mori Gate on Boulevard Road.

Buses heading towards New Delhi, Connaught Place and Central Secretariat will use ISBT Bridge, Boulevard Road, Rani Jhansi Flyover, Rani Jhansi Road, Mandir Marg, Peshwa Road, Gole Market and Shivaji Stadium/Central Secretariat terminals.

Buses from Vikas Marg heading towards north Delhi will use Marginal Bandh Road, GT Road, Shastri Park, ISBT Bridge and Boulevard Road.

Those heading towards south Delhi will use Mother Dairy Road, NH-24 and Nizamuddin Bridge towards Ashram Chowk.

Buses from Roshanara Road towards Old Delhi Railway Station will terminate inside Tis Hazari Courts, while buses from Old Rohtak Road and New Rohtak Road will terminate at Mori Gate or designated points on Gokhale Marg.

Private and mini buses will terminate at the MCD car parking area at Mori Gate.

Buses from Ajmeri Gate and Minto Bridge heading towards Old Delhi Railway Station, Red Fort, ISBT and other central destinations will terminate opposite Turkman Gate on Asaf Ali Road.

Buses from Mall Road will terminate on Boulevard Road up to Mori Gate.

Buses from south Delhi heading towards Red Fort and Old Delhi Railway Station will be diverted through Ring Road, NH-24, Marginal Bandh Road and the new ISBT Bridge before terminating on Boulevard Road.

Those heading towards Connaught Place will use Upper Ridge Road, Karol Bagh, Jhandewalan, Panchkuian Road and Shivaji Stadium.

Interstate bus routes

Interstate buses from Ghaziabad will use Bhopura Chungi Road, Wazirabad Road and Chandgi Ram Akhara before entering ISBT.

Buses from Dhaula Kuan will use Ring Road, Punjabi Bagh, Azadpur and Chandgi Ram Akhara.

Buses from Faridabad may terminate at Sarai Kale Khan or take the Ring Road route towards ISBT.

For outgoing interstate buses, vehicles will not be allowed to take a U-turn at the northern loop of Ring Road near Budh Vihar.

Buses bound for Loni will proceed via Wazirabad Bridge, while those heading towards Ghaziabad will use ISBT Bridge.

Recovery vans to be deployed

DTC recovery vans will be stationed from 5 am on August 13 at Gokhale Marg, Ghata Masjid, Yamuna Bazar, Delhi Gate and Chatta Rail Chowk until the diversions are cleared.

The traffic police have advised commuters to reach their destinations early and avoid the last-minute rush.

Security restrictions: Items not allowed

As part of the security arrangements for the rehearsal, people have been advised not to carry:

• Cameras
• Binoculars
• Remote-control car keys
• Umbrellas
• Handbags
• Briefcases
• Transistors
• Cigarette lighters
• Tiffin boxes
• Water bottles
• Similar items

The public has also been asked not to touch any suspicious object and to immediately inform the nearest policeman about any unidentified object, suspicious movement or unusual activity.