Noida commuters stuck in traffic jams due to I-Day preparations

Commuters had a harrowing time on Noida roads as the Delhi Police have prohibited entry of heavy transport vehicles (HTVs) in the city from Wednesday midnight till 2 pm on Thursday. The restriction on HTV movement has been imposed in view of the Independence Day parade rehearsal on August 13.

The Traffic Police in Noida had issued an advisory that all heavy goods carriers and buses will be prohibited to enter Delhi from Kalindi Kunj, DND Flyway and Noida Gate (Chilla water regulator) from the midnight of Wednesday till 2 pm on Thursday. The same restrictions will remain in force from the midnight of August 14 till 2 pm on August 15.

In Noida, entry of HTVs is prohibited during peak traffic hours 7 am to 11 am and 5 pm to 9 pm on Udyog Marg, Master Plan-1 Road, Master Plan-2 Road, Master Plan-3 Road and Dadri-Surajpur-Chhalera Road all through the year.

This means that only a few hundred of HTVs running on these four roads in Noida after 9 pm on Wednesday were able to cross over to Delhi till 12 midnight and the remaining thousands of HTVs that enter Delhi from Noida every night will remain stranded on these roads till 2 pm on Thursday.

Superintendent of Police (Traffic) Rajeev Narayan Mishra admitted that the traffic restrictions around Independence Day every year cause congestion in the city. “We have no choice but to get them parked on the left side of the roads to let as much traffic pass by as possible. Last year, there was a complete chaos. But this is a security and parade rehearsal drill that is followed every year. We can only issue advisory to the general public to avoid these roads during the traffic restrictions,” he said. However, the traffic police will ensure as smooth vehicular movement as possible, he added.

“The Traffic Police claimed smooth travel last year as well. But there was a complete mess on the road from the Noida City Centre to Kalindi Kunj. As all HTVs parked on the road at night left hardly any room for other light motor vehicles to go ahead,” said Ansh Gupta, a resident of Sector 12.