Delhi to see heavy traffic on Raksha Bandhan weekend. Police says avoid these routes

With the Raksha Bandhan festival falling close to the weekend, the Delhi Traffic Police has issued a travel advisory warning of heavy traffic congestion on major highways leading out of the capital. In a post on social media platform X, the department said a large number of commuters are expected to travel out of Delhi to celebrate the festival with family, especially towards northern destinations like Karnal, Panipat, Sonipat, and Chandigarh.

To ease vehicular pressure on the roads, particularly on National Highway 44 and at the Singhu border, the advisory recommends that commuters consider alternate routes. "Due to the upcoming Raksha Bandhan festival coinciding with the weekend, a large number of commuters are expected to travel out of Delhi via National Highways. To avoid congestion, commuters heading towards Karnal, Panipat, Sonipat, and Chandigarh through NH-44 and Singhu border are advised to consider alternate routes," the traffic department posted.
The advisory comes amid expectations of long weekend travel that may result in traffic build-up on key inter-state routes.

Here are some tips to avoid Delhi's traffic on Raksha Bandhan:

1. Use Delhi Metro for intra-city travel, as it offers a faster and more reliable alternative to road transport during festival congestion.
2. Avoid travelling during peak hours, especially between 10 AM to 2 PM and 5 PM to 9 PM, when outbound traffic is expected to be the heaviest.
3. Plan routes that bypass the Singhu border and NH-44, particularly if heading towards Karnal, Panipat, Sonipat or Chandigarh.
4. Check live traffic updates from Delhi Traffic Police and use navigation apps to find alternative routes or avoid bottlenecks.
5. Allocate extra travel time if commuting to airports, railway stations or inter-state bus terminals, and consider using Airport Express or other metro lines for timely access.