New Delhi, Nov 3 (PTI) A surge of shoppers heading out for last-minute Diwali purchases brought large parts of Delhi to a crawl on Tuesday evening, with bumper-to-bumper traffic, serpentine queues of vehicles and prolonged snarls reported across busy market areas and arterial roads.
Heavy traffic was reported in and around several major shopping hubs, including Sarojini Nagar, South Extension, Lajpat Nagar, Karol Bagh, Kamla Nagar, Chandni Chowk and Rajouri Garden, as markets witnessed a rush of people making festive purchases.
Congestion was also reported around Kashmere Gate, Hauz Khas and Defence Colony, with the increased movement of shoppers adding to the vehicular pressure on roads.
Visuals from ITO, South Extension and Dhaula Kuan showed long queues of cars, buses, auto-rickshaws and two-wheelers packed closely together, with vehicles inching forward through congested stretches. At several points, the roads appeared choked with traffic, while commuters on two-wheelers navigated narrow gaps between stationary and slow-moving vehicles.
In North Delhi, a major traffic jam was reported between Kamla Nagar and the Delhi University red light, while the Kashmere Gate area also witnessed heavy congestion. Traffic movement remained slow in Kohat Enclave in Pitampura, where long queues of vehicles were seen extending along the road.
Several stretches in south and central Delhi also reported heavy traffic, including Lodhi Road near the flyover and the areas around Hauz Khas. The Barapullah corridor, particularly the stretch between AIIMS and Sarai Kale Khan, witnessed prolonged congestion, with commuters reporting being stuck for extended periods. Heavy traffic was also reported near the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium and on the Barapullah flyover.
On the Ring Road, congestion was reported around Lajpat Nagar and Vinoba Puri, while NH-48 witnessed heavy traffic on the Gurugram-Dhaula Kuan stretch. Commuters also flagged traffic snarls near Rajouri Garden and on roads connecting Karol Bagh, Roshanara and Gulabi Bagh.
Meanwhile, Delhi Traffic Police issued a separate advisory regarding a proposed march from Karkari Mor towards Nirman Vihar Metro Station on November 4. Traffic movement on Vikas Marg is likely to be affected between 3 pm and 5.30 pm, with the affected stretch remaining closed to vehicular traffic during the march. Diversions will be in place, the advisory said.
