Central Delhi faced widespread traffic disruption on Saturday after police imposed barricades, vehicle checks and route restrictions around Jantar Mantar and other parts of the capital during a protest by the Cockroach Janta Party and others seeking the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Traffic restrictions came into force from 6 am, with congestion reported across Connaught Place, Janpath, Barakhamba Road, Ashoka Road and Sansad Marg. Traffic was also slow on routes towards India Gate and the Central Secretariat. A Google Maps traffic view cited in the report showed more than 70 roadblock markers across Central Delhi at around 11.30 am, with several key stretches marked in red for slow-moving traffic.
Commuters travelling through Connaught Place, Janpath, Barakhamba Road and the India Gate–Central Secretariat corridor faced delays as vehicles moved slowly through areas affected by security checks and barricading. The traffic impact was uneven, with some roads showing heavy congestion while vehicles moved more freely on other stretches.
The restrictions also affected public transport access. The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation had announced the closure of entry and exit gates at 57 stations from 9 pm on Friday until the situation returned to normal. The report did not indicate that train services across the network had been suspended, but commuters were unable to use the affected station gates during the closure period.
Mobile internet services in parts of Central Delhi were also suspended for 24 hours from 10 pm on Friday. The measure was reported alongside the security arrangements around the protest area, adding a communications restriction to the road and public transport disruptions.
The concentration of congestion around routes leading towards Jantar Mantar illustrates how security controls at a central protest location can quickly affect a wider road network. Central Delhi contains several major commercial, administrative and public destinations, meaning that restrictions around a limited number of corridors can delay traffic moving between Connaught Place, government districts and India Gate.
The Delhi Traffic Police said the restrictions would be reviewed on the basis of real-time assessments. They could be relaxed or tightened depending on the law-and-order situation, according to the report, which cited PTI. The next changes to road access, metro station entry and exit arrangements will therefore depend on the security assessment around the protest area.
