By IANS,
New Delhi : Despite arrangements by the traffic police, commuters faced jams and chaos on the first day of the two-day ASEAN-India Special Commemorative Summit here Thursday.
Due to the movement of the motorcades of the dignitaries and the heads of state/ government of all 10 Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) members, traffic restrictions were imposed on various roads causing jams around central Delhi’s ITO, Sardar Patel Chowk, RML Hospital and areas near the airport.
“As there was simultaneous movement of 11 heads of state on Thursday, there were some traffic restrictions on certain routes in New Delhi district. Such restriction will be continued on Dec 21,” said Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Satyendra Garg.
Sardar Patel Marg (between Dhaula Kuan and Panchsheel Marg) was kept closed between 3 p.m. and 7.30 p.m. Thursday and similar restrictions will be imposed Friday between 11.30 a.m. and 2.30 p.m., he said.
He said that as all the visiting heads of state/government are staying in different hotels in New Delhi area, there was movement of summit participants around Rashtrapati Bhavan, Vigyan Bhawan and the venue of the summit on Sardar Patel Marg.
On the last day of the summit Friday, traffic restrictions may be in place on some roads for durations up to half hour, he said.
“Commuters who want to avoid being held up at junctions should avoid New Delhi area on Dec 21,” said Garg.
On Friday, there will be traffic restriction on Maulana Azad Road (between Janpath and Mansingh Road) between 6 a.m. and 12.30 p.m.