Delhi Traffic Police has warned of possible restrictions and diversions around Connaught Place and adjoining areas of Central Delhi from 3 pm on Friday, ahead of the Cockroach Janta Party’s ‘Lehra Do Tiranga’ march scheduled for 5 pm. The advisory covers several key roads and intersections, while the Central Park inside Connaught Place will remain closed to the public on Friday and Saturday.
The protest group has called the march over the arrests of its leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka earlier this week. It has also been demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision of voter rolls. The planned gathering is expected to include representatives of the All India Students’ Association and the Aam Aadmi Party.
The Delhi Police has appealed to people not to assemble at Central Park, which has been selected as the protest location after Jantar Mantar was de-notified as a protest site. In a notice, the New Delhi Municipal Council said the park, located in Connaught Place’s Inner Circle, would remain shut “due to administrative reasons”.
According to the traffic advisory, diversions may be introduced depending on the movement of participants and the situation on the ground. Roads likely to be affected include Sansad Marg, Baba Kharak Singh Marg, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Marg, Panchkuian Road, Basant Lane, Chelmsford Road, Minto Road, Barakhamba Road, Kasturba Gandhi Marg, Janpath, Rafi Marg, Tilak Marg and Tolstoy Marg.
Traffic movement may also be affected around Rail Bhawan, C-Hexagon, Mandi House, Patel Chowk, Windsor Place, Gole Dak Khana and Sikandra Road. The stretch of Ashoka Road between the General Post Office and C-Hexagon is also included in the advisory.
The traffic police has asked commuters to plan their journeys in advance, allow additional travel time and use public transport wherever possible. Motorists have been advised to avoid roadside parking and use designated parking facilities. Commuters can check the Delhi Traffic Police website and its official social media channels for real-time updates, traffic alerts and alternative routes. The traffic police helplines are 1095 and 011-25844444.
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation has not issued any notification about station closures so far. Metro services may therefore continue to operate normally, although access to roads and surrounding areas near Connaught Place could be affected by security arrangements and diversions.
Around 25,000 personnel are expected to be deployed in New Delhi, with an additional 5,000 personnel being brought in for the march, according to sources cited in the report. Multiple detention buses had been positioned near Palika Bazaar, with about 16 buses seen between Sansad Marg and Tolstoy Road on Thursday.
DCP (PRO) Neha Yadav said in a statement issued on Thursday evening that prohibitory orders were already in force in Connaught Place and adjoining areas to “maintain peace and protect lives and public and private property”. The police said they could facilitate a selected group of people to carry the national flag and sing the national anthem at a suitable place.
