NEW DELHI: If you are criss-crossing the capital during the AI Impact Summit, allow yourself extra travel time.
Traffic rules will be stricter than usual in central parts of the city and nearby areas. Police have tried to keep some key routes open, but slow traffic and diversions are expected, especially during VVIP movement.
The summit will be held at Bharat Mandapam inside Pragati Maidan from Feb 16 to 20. Because of high security arrangements — several dignitaries from across the globe, foreign delegates and ministers are set to attend it — traffic restrictions will be in place mainly in New Delhi district and surrounding areas. The aim is to manage VVIP movement while ensuring commuting for the public is as smooth as possible.
Some roads will be fully restricted when VVIP convoys start rolling, mainly in the morning when delegates travel to the venue and again during their departure later in the day, a senior traffic police officer said. These roads include Bhairon Marg (except Ring Road T-point) and Mathura Road (Subramania Bharti Marg T-point to Dr Dinesh Nandini Dalmia Chowk).
Vehicles that are not headed to Delhi for work or destination travel may be diverted to Eastern and Western Peripheral Expressways and barred from entering the city at certain times of the day.
Controlled roads will remain open most of the time, with traffic regulated throughout the day and briefly thinned out at specific intervals on a few days. There are 51 such roads, including Mathura Road (from Subramania Bharati Marg T-point to Lodhi Road flyover), Subramania Bharati Marg, Rajesh Pilot Marg, Tees January Marg, Akbar Road, Teen Murti Marg, Mother Teresa Crescent, Sardar Patel Marg, Janpath, Firoz Shah Road, Shanti Path and Satya Marg.
The list also includes Africa Avenue (Bikaji Cama to Yashwant Place roundabout), Kamal Ataturk Marg, APJ Abdul Kalam Road, C-Hexagon, Dr Zakir Hussain Marg, Sikander Road, Ashoka Road, Prithviraj Road, Kautilya Marg, Purana Qila Road, Sher Shah Suri Marg, Tilak Marg and Bhagwan Das Road.
Other roads that are set to be affected are Central Spine Road, North Access Road, Ring Road (Brar Square to AIIMS stretch), Cariappa Marg up to Kirby Place, Lodhi Road, Nila Gumbad stretch, Kartavya Path, Rafi Marg, Outer Circle Connaught Place, Sansad Marg and Baba Kharak Singh Marg.
Traffic restrictions will also apply on Aurobindo Marg (AIIMS U-turn stretch), Tughlaq Road, Safdarjung Road, Panchkuian Road (Mandir Marg T-point to Connaught Place), Ulaanbaatar Marg, Dwarka Link Road, AFS Palam Road, Thimayya Road, Parade Road, NH-48 (Rangpuri to Dhaula Kuan), Rao Tula Ram Marg, Panchsheel Marg, San Martin Marg, Nyaya Marg and Brig Hoshiyar Marg.
So, how does one move around Delhi during these five days? Police have kept a main north-south route open for the commuters. This corridor, which officials feel is likely to be the most reliable one for criss-crossing the city, mainly follows Ring Road and connects major points like Ashram Chowk, Sarai Kale Khan, Rajghat, ISBT Kashmere Gate, Azadpur, Punjabi Bagh, Dhaula Kuan and AIIMS.
People travelling to railway stations should start early. For New Delhi Railway Station, they can use routes via ISBT Kashmere Gate, Ashram-Ring Road-Rajghat side or via Vande Mataram Marg and Panchkuian Road towards Connaught Place. Those headed to Old Delhi Railway Station can travel via ISBT Kashmere Gate and Ring Road or Rani Jhansi Marg and Boulevard Road. For Hazrat Nizamuddin Station, routes via AIIMS-Ring Road-Ashram or ISBT Kashmere Gate-Ring Road-Rajghat-Ashram can be used.
For those headed to IGI Airport, Metro is the safest option and will run normally. Those travelling to the airport by road can use NH-48 and UER-II routes depending on where they are travelling from.
Public transport will operate but with possible diversions. Buses may be diverted during VVIP movement, while autos and taxis may be allowed to park only at designated places.
Overall, commuters should leave early, check traffic updates before starting and regularly thereafter, and use metro wherever possible on these days.