Fanfare at Trade Fair: Delhiites stuck in traffic snarls for hours

It seems Delhi Police and traffic personnel are only working for the VVIPs residing in the national Capital as it has been observed that the common man has always had a harrowing time getting things done, no matter how small or less important they are. 

From filing an FIR to negotiating through chock-a-blocks and traffic snarls, the common man always finds himself at the receiving end. 

Take for example the ongoing Trade Fair. Since November 14, due to the IIFT, Delhiites traveling on major arterial roads in the Central and New Delhi district are stuck in major traffic jams on a daily basis. 

The intensity of the rush could be imagined by the fact that it took around an hour for motorists to reach ITO intersection signal from Mandi House.

The gates of IIFT opens at 10.30 am and the long snarls of visitors could be seen outside the gates. Even though the traffic police have not allowed visitors to park their vehicles on Sher Shah Road, Purana Qila Road, Bhagwan Das Road and Tilak Marg, the commuters are using these roads to go to their offices or other respective places.

Major congestion was reported at around 6 pm when the office goers also had to rush back home. Despite elaborate arrangements made by the Delhi Traffic Police, the look on these roads and the stranded vehicles depicted the situation.

“The increase in the volume of traffic is the major reason behind the long traffic snarls on and around Mathura Road, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, ITO, Tilak Marg, India Gate, Bhairon Marg, Ring Road, Shershah Road and Purana Qila Road,” said a senior police official.

But the ground reality is that improper traffic management by the Delhi Police have resulted into major congestions. Not only this but the non-functional traffic signals in and around the arterial roads is another major reason for traffic jams.

“If it comes to managing traffic movement for VVIP movement, the whole police staff including the traffic cops are visible on the roads. To give an easy passage to VVIPs, the general public has to suffer. But the police do commendable job in managing traffic for them then why can’t they do the same for us. Every time we are stuck in long traffic jams and the officials are sitting in air-conditioned offices,” said Radhika, a 33-year-old woman who works at ITO. While returning home, she got stuck in traffic for almost one-and-a-half hours at ITO, Mandi House and Pragati Maidan traffic signal.

Due to severe traffic congestion in Central and New Delhi districts, the entire South Delhi traffic goes haywire. This is true for East Delhi as well. 

On Monday, through out the day, bumper-to-bumper traffic was seen near ITO intersection, Feroz Shah Road, Mandi House, Vikas Marg, Geeta Colony, Mathura Road stretch from Ashram Chowk to Kalkaji and from DND flyway to South Extension.