Delhi roads gridlocked during Chhath Puja—traffic restrictions, diversions announced; check key routes

Delhi is bracing for significant traffic snarls as thousands of devotees are set to converge at various ghats across the city for Chhath Puja over the next two days. Anticipating heavy crowds, Delhi Traffic Police on Sunday announced a series of traffic restrictions and diversions aimed at ensuring smooth vehicular movement and public safety.

The advisory warns that commuters should expect slow traffic from Monday afternoon through Tuesday morning, particularly near ghats where large congregations are expected. Officials have urged motorists to avoid these areas wherever possible and opt for public transport.

East and northeast Delhi: Major gatherings are expected at the Gandhi Nagar Chhath Poojan Samiti Naav Ghat near the Old Iron Bridge, Purvanchal Nav Nirman Sangtan Ghat, and Satyamev Jayate Ghat near Geeta Colony, each likely to draw over 45,000 devotees. Heavy footfall is also expected at the DND Yamuna Khadar and Chhath Ghat near Shastri Park. Slow traffic is anticipated in areas such as Geeta Colony, IP Extension, and Shastri Park.


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Specific restrictions include

Bhajanpura: Commercial vehicles will not be allowed on GT Road from Shastri Park to Yudhishthir Setu between 5 pm and 7 pm on Monday, and 5 am to 7 am on Tuesday.

Gandhi Nagar: Roads from Shantivan Loop and Laxmi Nagar to Kailash Nagar will remain closed Monday 5–6 pm and Tuesday 5–7 am, with traffic diverted via Disused Canal Road.

Khajuri Khas: Vehicles towards Sonia Vihar will be rerouted from Nanaksar to Old Wazirabad Road, while vehicles from Sonia Vihar Border will be diverted from MCD Toll towards Sabhapur village.

Central and north Delhi: Large crowds are expected at Shyam Ghat in Jagatpur, which could attract over one lakh devotees, along with the Shani Mandir Ghat at Jagatpur and Vaasudev Ghat near ISBT. Traffic along Majnu ka Tilla, Burari, Wazirabad Road, and Yamuna-adjacent areas may remain slow.

South and southeast Delhi: The Bhola Ghat in Kalindi Kunj is likely to host between 2.5 and 3 lakh devotees, while Khasra No 1575 in Aya Nagar, Shiv Ghat near Shri Ram Chowk, and Asthal Mandir in Sangam Vihar are also expected to see heavy gatherings. Roads expected to be affected include MB Road from Lal Kuan to Tughlakabad Extension, Khadar Kalindi Kunj Road, Agar Canal Road, and Road No 13.

Northwest, outer, and west Delhi: Large crowds are anticipated at Bhalswa Lake near the Golf Course, the UP Bihar Ekta Maha Manch near Majlis Park metro station, Surya Upasana Park in Dabri, Vishwas Park in Raja Puri, and Chhath Puja Park in Mangolpuri. Traffic diversions will be in place around Bawana, Holambi Kalan, Narela, and stretches of the Outer Ring Road, as well as Raja Puri main road, Dabri-Palam Road, and Mangolpuri.

Officials clarified that routes towards major transit hubs, including New Delhi, Old Delhi, Nizamuddin railway stations, and ISBT, will not face restrictions. However, commuters should anticipate possible delays and plan accordingly.

(With inputs from PTI)