World Culture Festival: Arterial roads witness traffic snarls

New Delhi: Major arterial stretches in the national capital witnessed severe traffic snarls on Friday evening, giving a harrowing time to commuters in the city due to the World Culture Festival and over 20,000 marriages on Friday.

The areas, which saw severe traffic congestion, include the Noida Link Road, the NH 24 carriageway towards Nizamuddin, Ashram Chowk, the Ring Road stretch from the Bhairon Marg intersection to the mouth of the DND Flyway, around India Gate and Mandi House, a traffic official said.

The traffic near Nizamuddin khatta was diverted to Ashram Chowk, which worsened the condition of the already clogged intersection. Traffic snarls were also reported near ITO and Kashmere Gate ISBT after the evening showers, the official added.

By Friday evening, the Delhi Traffic Police helpline number was bombarded with calls. Delhi Traffic Police had deployed around 4,000 personnel on field in view of the World Culture Festival and over 20,000 marriages scheduled today.

"We deployed the maximum force to ensure smooth flow of traffic," Special Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Muktesh Chander said. Traffic officials had earlier warned about congestions, especially in south and east Delhi, for the next three days, in view of the World Culture Fest organised by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's Art of Living foundation and an event by the Radha Soami Satsang Beas, coinciding dates (from March 11 to 13), and over 20,000 marriages scheduled to take place in the city today.

While the World Cultural Festival is being held at the Yamuna floodplains, the Radha Soami Satsang Beas event is being organised at Fatehpur Beri area. Areas like Mehrauli and Chhatarpur are hubs for marriages and these areas often witness chock-a-block traffic on days when a large number of marriages are scheduled.

For the World Culture Festival, organisers have made provisions for parking on the Yamuna banks. The space is limited and so parking will be on a first-come-first-serve basis. The official said those approaching from the trans-Yamuna side towards central Delhi should use the ITO Road as Akshardham and NH-24 will also be congested.