Delhi traffic restrictions came into force from 6 am on Saturday as police prepared for the CJP protest at Jantar Mantar against the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. Diversions and traffic controls were announced across central Delhi, with commuters warned of delays around Connaught Place, Mandi House, Jantar Mantar, Patel Chowk and several other key intersections.
The protest group is demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Delhi Police deployed personnel in large numbers, installed barricades and monitored vehicles entering and leaving affected areas. Traffic was reported to be moving smoothly in the early hours, although some vehicles were stopped and checked.
The traffic advisory covers the Ashoka Road-Jantar Mantar Road roundabout, the Tolstoy Marg-Janpath crossing, the Jai Singh Road-Sansad Marg crossing, Rail Bhawan roundabout, Patel Chowk, Gol Dak Khana and Windsor Place. Restrictions may also affect Mandi House, the Chelmsford Road and Sansad Marg intersections with Connaught Place’s outer circle, Barakhamba Road and the Minto Road-Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg junction.
Additional locations listed by the traffic authorities include the Chelmsford Road-Connaught Place outer circle intersection, the Bharion Road-Mahatma Gandhi Marg intersection, Lodhi Road flyover, Neela Gumbad roundabout, Madarsa T-point, Samrat Hotel roundabout, the Sardar Patel Marg-Panchsheel Marg crossing, the underpasses below the Bhikaji Cama Place and Moti Bagh flyovers, and the Ring Road-San Martin Marg intersection.
Delhi Traffic Police advised commuters to avoid non-essential travel and allow extra time for their journeys. People travelling through New Delhi and central Delhi to railway stations, inter-state bus terminals or the airport were asked to plan their routes in advance. The restrictions are particularly significant for the city’s central administrative and commercial areas, where traffic diversions can affect multiple connecting roads.
Public transport operations were also affected. The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation had announced that entry and exit gates at 45 stations would remain closed from 9 pm on Friday until the situation returned to normal on Saturday. A 24-hour mobile internet suspension in central Delhi began at 10 pm on Friday.
Delhi Police said the restrictions would be reviewed through real-time assessments of the law-and-order situation. Measures may be relaxed or tightened depending on conditions around the protest site and the affected road network.
