Ahmedabad police have extended the city’s heavy vehicle entry ban until 2am during Navratri, adding two hours to the usual restriction to manage traffic and reduce accident risks during the festival period. The extended restriction will apply from October 11 to October 21, according to a police notification reported by the Times of India.
Large heavy vehicles, long vehicles and large passenger vehicles will not be allowed to enter the city during the extended restriction hours. The normal ban operates from 8am to midnight, but during Navratri it will continue until 2am, when late-night movement linked to festival activities is expected to remain high.
The order covers heavy goods vehicles, long vehicles and large passenger vehicles. However, light goods vehicles and light passenger vehicles with a gross weight of up to 7,500kg will continue to be permitted. Non-sleeper passenger vehicles with seating capacity of up to 33 people are also exempted from the extended restriction.
The notification creates a temporary change to Ahmedabad’s existing traffic management system rather than a blanket ban on all commercial or passenger movement. Under the existing restrictions, goods vehicles and tractor-trolleys cannot enter the city between 8am and 11pm. Passenger vehicles carrying more than 33 people face restrictions between 8am and 10pm.
The different cut-off times mean that vehicle access is determined by both the type and size of the vehicle. Smaller goods and passenger vehicles within the stated weight and seating limits can continue to operate, while larger vehicles face restrictions intended to reduce congestion and road-safety risks during the festival period.
Navratri brings increased movement on Ahmedabad’s roads, particularly during evening and late-night hours. The police notification identifies traffic management and accident prevention as the reasons for extending the restriction. The measure places the responsibility for regulating larger vehicles with the city traffic enforcement system while allowing selected smaller vehicles to continue entering the city.
The temporary order is scheduled to operate from October 11 through October 21. After the specified period, the extended restriction will lapse and the existing vehicle-entry restrictions will resume, according to the notification. The report did not provide details of designated alternative routes, holding areas or exemptions beyond the vehicle categories listed in the order.
Violations will invite action under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Section 131 of the Gujarat Police Act. The provisions cited in the notification provide the legal basis for enforcement against vehicles entering the city in breach of the temporary restrictions. Vehicle operators, freight businesses and passenger transport providers will therefore need to check their vehicle category and plan city entries around the applicable timings during Navratri.
