G20 Summit: Stringent traffic regulations into force in New Delhi

New Delhi: Stringent traffic regulations were put in place in the New Delhi district on Friday morning while online delivery services, except for medicines, have been barred in the area where the G20 summit venue and hotels for delegates are located, officials said.

The New Delhi district has been designated as Controlled Zone-I from Friday 5 am till Sunday 11.59 pm because of the summit. Police have urged people not to visit India Gate and Kartavya Path for walking, cycling or picnicking.

Movement of vehicles is being regulated in the New Delhi district but ambulances, locals and tourists staying in the area will be permitted to travel by presenting proper identification papers, police said.

The Delhi Metro has decided to start its services from 4 am from terminal stations on all lines of the network on September 8, 9 and 10 following a request from Delhi Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora.

Officials said over 50,000 personnel along with dog squads and mounted police have been deployed to keep a hawk-eye vigil during the summit.

In an advisory issued on August 25, the Delhi Traffic Police listed out restrictions on the movement of goods vehicles, buses, auto-rickshaws and taxis. It has urged people to use metro services as much as possible due to regulated traffic movement.

Police have advised people to use the navigation app 'Mapmyindia' to get around the city till the restrictions are in place.

Special Commissioner of Police (Traffic) S S Yadav said that since India Gate and Kartavya Path are in the "controlled zone", the Delhi Police appeals to people not to visit the area for "walking, cycling or picnicking" during the G20 Summit.

Essential services such as postal and medical services, and sample collections by pathological labs will be allowed throughout Delhi, he said.

The entire area inside the Ring Road (Mahatma Gandhi Marg) has been designated as a "regulated zone".

This means that only bonafide residents, authorised vehicles, emergency vehicles, and those travelling to the airport, Old Delhi and New Delhi Railway Stations will be allowed to ply on the road network beyond Ring Road towards New Delhi district.

Vehicles dealing with housekeeping, catering and waste management for hotels, hospitals and other important installations in the New Delhi district will also be allowed after verification. 

Nearly 16 roads and junctions will be treated as "Controlled Zone II" till 2 pm on Sunday. These include W-Point, A-Point, DDU Marg, Vikas Marg (till Noida Link Road-Pusta Road), Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg and Delhi Gate, among others.  Police have been requested to avoid travelling to places within the "regulated" and "controlled zones". It has listed alternative routes to take in case travel is unavoidable.

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) said parking facilities at Supreme Court, Patel Chowk and RK Ashram Marg metro stations will be closed from 4 am on September 8 till September 11 noon. 

According to the police, metro service shall remain available at all stations except for Supreme Court station, where boarding and deboarding will not be permitted from 5 am on September 9 to 11 pm on September 10. 

All types of goods vehicles, commercial vehicles, interstate buses and buses of the Delhi Transport Corporation and Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit System will not be allowed to ply on the Mathura Road (beyond Ashram Chowk), Bhairon Road, Purana Quila Road and inside Pragati Maidan Tunnel from September 8 midnight till to 11.59 pm on September 10.

Interstate buses coming through the Ghazipur Border will terminate at ISBT Sarai Kale Khan, while those from the Apsara Border, Chilla Border, Badarpur Border, Tikei Border and Singhu border will terminate at ISBT Kashmere Gate, ISBT Sarai Kale Khan, Ashram Chowk, Peeragarhi Chowk and Mukarba Chowk respectively.

The Delhi Police have advised people to follow real-time traffic updates on the 'G-20 Virtual Help Desk' for route suggestions for commuting to and from the airport, railway stations or bus terminals.

The G20 Leaders' Summit will be held on September 9-10. The summit is set to be attended by more than 30 heads of state and top officials from the European Union and invited guest countries and 14 heads of international organisations.