Delhi-NCR chokes under festive rush with Diwali traffic clogging major routes

As the Diwali weekend kicked off, Delhi-NCR came to a standstill yet again on Friday evening with massive traffic jams reported across key routes.

Major stretches – including Sikandra Road, Bhikaji Cama Place, Moolchand Flyover, ITO, Moti Bagh, and the Delhi-Gurugram Expressway – were gridlocked leaving thousands of commuters crawling through bumper-to-bumper traffic.

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The festive rush, coupled with heavy footfall in popular markets, like Chandni Chowk, Karol Bagh, and Lajpat Nagar, brought parts of the city to a halt. Motorists complained of long delays with traffic moving at snail’s pace at several intersections. Visuals shared by a news agency on social media showed endless queues of vehicles inching forward on choked roads.

Similar scenes were reported from Gurugram, where the IFFCO Chowk and the Delhi-Gurugram highway witnessed heavy congestion during peak hours. In Delhi, traffic built up around Chanakyapuri, Teen Murti Marg, and the Moolchand Flyover with major choke points stretching for several kilometres.

Adding to the chaos, road repair work and damaged stretches at several intersections further slowed traffic movement, leaving little room for relief. The Delhi Traffic Police said congestion was particularly severe at Bhera Enclave Chowk and on Mathura Road, from Badarpur to Ashram Chowk.

With Diwali festivities set to peak over the weekend, officials warn that traffic conditions could worsen further, especially around shopping hubs and major highways connecting Delhi with its neighbouring cities.

Meanwhile, the Delhi Traffic Police said it had deployed additional personnel and special drives to manage traffic during the festive rush.

“We have deployed our maximum staff. Motorcycles are patrolling, and officers are continuously monitoring the field,” said Dinesh K Gupta, Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic).

“We’re removing vehicles parked on roads, issuing challans through our app, and have prepared area-specific traffic plans for Lajpat Nagar, Sarojini Nagar, and Connaught Place. Special drives are also being conducted to check drunken driving, with teams using alcohol meters in coordination with local police,” he added.